| | |  | BY STEPHANIE MURRAY | GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. MARKEY DEFEATS KENNEDY — Sen. Ed Markey beat back Rep. Joe Kennedy III’s primary challenge on Tuesday, striking a blow against the Kennedy political dynasty and notching a significant victory for the Democratic Party's left wing. Voters renominated Markey, who has held a seat in Congress since the mid-1970s, over Kennedy, the 39-year-old grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, who attempted to take on a sitting senator rather than wait for a spot in the Democratic hierarchy to open up. “THERE GOES THE LAST GREAT AMERICAN DYNASTY,” the HuffPost homepage read last night, a nod to the Taylor Swift song. "SCRAMALOT," reads the Boston Herald splash this morning. After weeks of second-guessing the polls and gaming out how vote-by-mail ballots might push ballot counting into the early morning hours, the closely-watched contest unfolded in a way that was actually quite normal. Recent polls were on target — Markey beat Kennedy by around 10 percentage points, according to the Associated Press — and the congressman conceded the race just after 10 p.m. Kennedy, the scion of the state's best-known political family, had been favored to win when he entered the race a year ago, and many suspected Markey might retire to avoid an embarrassing loss. But Kennedy became the underdog in the final weeks of the campaign. And unlike other primary battles, it was Markey, the 74-year-old incumbent, who morphed into the favorite candidate of young liberals taking on the party establishment. Looking back, Kennedy and Markey stuck to their campaign plans from last year. At the launch of his campaign, Kennedy said his strategy would be to turn out new voters — particularly immigrants and people of color — who vote at lower rates than white voters. He did that, but the coalition wasn't large enough to bring him a victory. Facing a tough primary challenge, Markey always said he'd run on his record, even before rumors of a Kennedy challenge began to swirl and he had two lesser-known opponents. Markey's work on the Green New Deal proved to be pivotal among his climate-minded base, and delivered him the history-making win. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. |  | THE SENATE SHOWDOWN |
| – “The Unlikely Kennedy Who Ended the Kennedy Dynasty,” by Peter Canellos, POLITICO: “For most of the 60-year history of the Kennedy dynasty, it’s been easier to imagine its last act as coming in a burst of triumph, a spasm of violence or a dream-shall-never-die promise of enduring hope. On Tuesday, however, what might be the final note of this political symphony was written not in glory or tragedy, but in numbers, the sad prose of politics.” – “Ed Markey beats Joe Kennedy in Senate primary,” by Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: “Senator Edward J. Markey, who rebranded himself from dutiful career politician to fierce progressive warrior over the course of a volatile 11-month campaign, won the Democratic primary for Senate on Tuesday, fending off a challenge from a much younger Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III, whose increasingly bare-knuckled offensive failed to capture the imagination of Massachusetts voters.” – THE VICTORY SPEECH: "Tonight is more than just a celebration of a movement," Markey said in Malden. "It is a reaffirmation of the need to have a movement, a progressive movement, of young people demanding radical change, demanding justice. A movement giving voice and power to young people when for far too long they were ignored." – THE CONCESSION SPEECH: “The senator is a good man. You have never heard me say otherwise. It was difficult at times between us. Good elections often get heated. But I'm grateful for the debates, for his commitment to our commonwealth and for the energy and enthusiasm that he brought to this race,” Kennedy said in Watertown. – “Kennedy takes Worcester, but not much else,” by Steven H. Foskett Jr., Telegram & Gazette: Link. — THE SENATE PRIMARY MAP BREAKDOWN — Rep. Joe Kennedy III won in many of the places his campaign hoped he would last night — cities with working class voters and voters of color. But Kennedy’s margins weren't as large as he had hoped. Kennedy won Lowell with 52 percent of the vote compared to Markey's 48 percent. In Worcester, Kennedy beat Markey by 4 percentage points. Some of Markey's biggest wins came in Springfield (63 percent) and Lawrence (68 percent). Kennedy also earned a boost in his old House district, which the congressman gave up to run in the primary. Kennedy bested Markey with around 68 percent in Taunton, for example. But Markey was able to run up the score in the liberal suburbs and cities, where voting by mail was popular. Markey won nearly 80 percent of the vote in Somerville, Cambridge, Northampton and Amherst. He won 69 percent of the vote in his hometown of Malden, and bested Kennedy on his home turf in Newton with 64 percent of the vote. Markey also won Boston with just under 60 percent of the vote, while Kennedy earned just over 40 percent. One eye-popping stat: Markey swept East Boston, where the Kennedy family has its roots in Massachusetts and where the congressman launched his Senate campaign a year ago. – ON THE GOP SIDE: “O'Connor Projected To Win GOP Senate Primary Over Ayyadurai,” WBUR: “The Associated Press is projecting Kevin O'Connor will win the Republican Senate primary in Massachusetts, turning away a challenge from Shiva Ayyadurai. O'Connor led entrepreneur Ayyadurai, 59%-41% with 27% of precincts reporting. O'Connor, an attorney from Dover, will now face incumbent Sen. Ed Markey in the general election.” | | DOWN TO THE WIRE IN 4TH DISTRICT |
| – “‘Too close to call’ in crowded race for Kennedy’s US House seat,” by Ted Nesi, WPRI: “Democrats Jesse Mermell and Jake Auchincloss were separated by a razor-thin margin early Wednesday morning in the race to replace Congressman Joe Kennedy, with a coveted U.S. House seat hanging in the balance. As of 1:30 a.m., unofficial results compiled by The Associated Press showed Mermell just 105 votes ahead of Auchincloss in the 4th Congressional District, which stretches from northern Fall River through the Attleboros and Taunton up to the Boston suburbs. Mermell had 22.4% of the vote and Auchincloss had 22.3%.” – “Julie Hall wins House 4th Congressional GOP race,” by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com: “Julie Hall was declared the victor in the Republican primary battle for Rep. Joe Kennedy III’s 4th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. With just over half of precincts precincts reporting, Hall picked up 64% of the vote. The Associated Press called the race for Hall at 11 p.m.” | | THE WILD WEST |
| – “Top House Democrat Richard Neal Survives Contentious Primary,” by Daniel Marans, HuffPost: “Rep. Richard Neal, one of the most powerful Democrats in Congress, won his party’s primary on Tuesday, overcoming an energetic progressive challenge from Alex Morse. In the solidly Democratic 1st Congressional District, Neal’s primary victory virtually assures him a 17th term representing Western Massachusetts and a swath of the state’s central region.” – “Redistricting of 1st District diluted Berkshire's influence,” by Danny Jin, The Berkshire Eagle: “ The state's largest congressional district by geographic area, Massachusetts' 1st District has moved southeast as it has gradually expanded. But it had once been regarded as a Berkshire County seat. After the 1st District was established as Massachusetts' westernmost district in 1893, Berkshire representatives held the seat until 1991 with the exception of the 1945-59 tenure of Greenfield's John Heselton. Since John Olver of Amherst succeeded Pittsfield's Silvio Conte in 1991, however, no Berkshire resident has held the seat.” | | HOUSE RACE RESULTS |
| – “US Rep. James McGovern to face GOP challenger Tracy Lovvorn in November,” by Jim Russell, Springfield Republican: “Republican Tracy Lovvorn of Grafton will make her second attempt to unseat U.S. James McGovern, D-Worcester, in the state’s 2nd Congressional District on Nov. 3 general election. Neither candidate faced a primary challenger on Tuesday and were declared the winner’s in their respective party races, according to the Associated Press.” – “Moulton triumphant in 6th District Democratic primary,” by Erin Nolan and Dustin Luca, The Salem News: “Incumbent Congressman Seth Moulton was victorious in the 6th District Democratic primary, according to early election results. Moulton, a Salem Democrat, had 77% of the vote with 14% of precincts reporting, the Associated Press reported just before 10 p.m. Tuesday. Challengers Jamie Belsito and Angus McQuilken, both of Topsfield, had 13% and 10% respectively, according to AP – “Stephen Lynch fends off primary challenge in Eighth District,” by Danny McDonald and Jaclyn Reiss, Boston Globe: “Incumbent Representative Stephen Lynch beat Robbie Goldstein in the race for the Democratic nomination for the US House Eighth District. Challenger Dr. Robbie Goldstein, a 36-year-old infectious disease specialist who built a groundbreaking transgender health program at Massachusetts General Hospital, had hoped to be the latest progressive success story amid a wave of upsets in the Democratic Party throughout the United States.” | | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
| – “Candidates around the state aim to build a more diverse Legislature,” by John Hilliard, Boston Globe: “As voters flocked to the polls and election officials tallied mail-in ballots Tuesday, the state’s Democratic primary featured a lineup of progressive challengers taking on incumbents in the Massachusetts Legislature. Some candidates saw the contests, many of which included women and people of color, as a sign that national demonstrations for racial justice — rallies that at times reached the gates of the State House — might help usher in a measure of change in the largely white, male halls of power.” – “Incumbents Nangle, Welch defeated in legislative primaries,” by Bruce Mohl and Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “Incumbents generally cruise to victory in Beacon Hill races, but there were a couple exceptions on Tuesday as a state rep from Lowell facing fraud charges and a senator from Springfield were defeated by challengers in the Democratic primary. Vanna Howard, an immigrant from Cambodia who leads the government relations department at Lowell Community Health Center, defeated incumbent Rep. David Nangle, who was indicted in February.” – “Scanlon ekes out narrow victory in state rep race,” by Tom Reilly, Sun Chronicle: “Adam Scanlon eked out a narrow victory Tuesday in the Democratic primary for the 14th Bristol District state representative seat while the Republican candidate dropped out of the race, citing health reasons. Scanlon garnered 3,225 votes to 3,113 for Patrick Reynolds, according to results released early Wednesday morning.” – “Patricia Duffy wins Democratic primary in 5th Hampden District,” by Dennis Hohenberger, MassLive.com: “Patricia A. Duffy won the Democratic primary for the 5th Hampden District in the state House of Representatives Tuesday, making her the likely successor to her boss on Beacon Hill, outgoing state Rep. Aaron Vega.” – “Springfield City Councilor Orlando Ramos wins 9th Hampden District race for state representative,” by Peter Goonan and Elizabeth Román, Springfield Republican: “City Councilor Orlando Ramos won the Democratic primary for state representative in the 9th Hampden District on Tuesday, setting the stage for him to replace retiring state Rep. Jose Tosado. In a close race, Ramos defeated second-place finisher Denise Hurst, a School Committee member, and Sean Mullan, who placed third.” – “Natick’s Linsky dispatches Patel in 5th Middesex Democratic primary, heads for 12th term,” by Henry Schwan, MetroWest Daily News: “State Rep. David Linsky, D-Natick, is headed for a 12th consecutive term in the 5th Middlesex District after he easily outdistanced challenger Jaymin Patel in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.” | | FROM THE HUB |
| – “For Some Boston Residents, Voting In Person Offered A Sense Of Normalcy,” by Shannon Dooling, WBUR: “There was no line at the Edwards Middle School in Charlestown when 83-year-old Anne Sullivan arrived to vote Tuesday morning. Sullivan, who said she was born and raised in Charlestown, knew voting would be different this year. But it was still important for her to vote in-person.” | | ONTO THE NEXT RACE |
| – “Rachael Rollins would be ‘shocked’ if Ayanna Pressley doesn’t someday run for Senate. Pressley is not ruling it out.” By Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Rep. Ayanna Pressley never endorsed in the yearlong Senate primary race between incumbent Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Joe Kennedy III. But even as ballots are cast on Tuesday, the Massachusetts congresswoman’s presence has continued to linger on the periphery.” | | ABOVE THE FOLD |
| — Herald: “SCRAMALOT,” — Globe: “Markey turns back Kennedy challenge.” | | NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW |
| – “Baker Discusses National Guard Call-Up, Green Line Improvements,” by Mike Deehan, GBH News: “Gov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday the Massachusetts National Guard was ready to deploy over the weekend to deal with dozens of scheduled protests, but was not needed. ‘We heard from a number of municipal officials who asked us if we would have people available to support them if those events turned out to be bigger than what they would be able to manage on their own,’ Baker said.” – “Federal court vacates ruling that blocks immigration arrests at Massachusetts courthouses,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “The First Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a preliminary injunction that prevents federal agents from conducting civil immigration arrests at courthouses across Massachusetts. In a 49-page opinion, authored by Judge Bruce M. Seyla, the court said the U.S. District Court abused its discretion in granting the preliminary injunction in August 2019.” – “Council votes 'no confidence' in Solomon,” by Bill Kirk, Eagle-Tribune: “One of the highest paid police chiefs in the country paid the price Monday night as he was raked over the coals by a feisty, combative City Council, whose members took a largely symbolic vote of ‘no confidence’ in the veteran leader of the department.” HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY – to Aster Hannigan-Row, who turned two on Tuesday and lives in Heath (h/t Satya Johnson). HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to former Rep. Michael Harrington, who is 84. NEW EPISODE: PRIMARY SCHOOL – On this week’s Horse Race podcast, hosts Jennifer Smith, Steve Koczela and Stephanie Murray break down the Sept. 1 primary. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. | |
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