LYNN — One day after U.S. Sen. Edward Markey and U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III tried to convince local Democrats to join their campaign for the Senate, Lynn’s delegation is backing the incumbent senator.
In unified fashion, Mayor Thomas M. McGee, Sen. Brendan Crighton, and state reps. Daniel Cahill, Peter Capano, Lori Ehrlich, have endorsed Markey’s bid for a second term over Kennedy.
On Sunday, Markey and Kennedy made their case to the Lynn Democratic City Committee at the Franco American War Veterans Hall. Kennedy, a congressman since 2013, is running to unseat Markey, who joined the Senate six years ago after serving in the House for nearly four decades. The race will be decided next year.
Last month, Kennedy, 38, became the first member of the storied family to run for the Senate from Massachusetts since former Sen. Edward M. Kennedy in 1962. He will face 73-year-old Markey in next year’s Democratic primary.
But Ehrlich said this is not the time for division among party members.
“It’s unfortunate that Democrats need to fight with each other for this otherwise safe Democatic seat in the U.S. Senate when so much is at stake in 2020,” she said.
Ehrlich said Markey has been a good friend and a reliable champion on many important issues. His Green New Deal, she said, is bold and consistent with the work he’s done on climate change.
In February, Markey and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) introduced the legislation intended to combat climate change and create thousands of jobs in renewable energy. The freshman lawmaker and the veteran senator teamed up on the plan, which sets a goal of 100 percent of the power demand in the U.S. through clean, renewable and zero-emission energy sources, including dramatic increases in wind and solar power.
“He speaks with strength and clarity,” Ehrlich said. “I especially appreciate that he stands up for working people, reproductive rights, and against hate and bigotry.”
Cahill praised Markey’s ability to build a strong working relationship with Lynn during his first term in the U.S. Senate.
“We were honored to host one of the senator’s Town Hall forums at the Thurgood Marshall Middle School last spring,” he said. “He encouraged many Lynn Public School students to attend and made time to talk to them and answer their questions on pressing issues such as climate change.”
McGee said he’s had a longstanding relationship with Markey and has found him and his staff to be very accessible.
“I committed to Ed months ago because I’ve worked closely with him on important issues like transportation and climate change,” he said. “When I was running for mayor, he was out knocking on doors with me in West Lynn. He gets it at the grassroots level.”
Capano, former president of the International Union of Electrical Workers Local 201 at General Electric Co. said Markey is a union ally.
“He is very good on job training, brought work into the Lynn plant, and he’s really good on trade issues that impact manufacturing,” he said. “I don’t see the need to change. He has lots of seniority and if the Democrats take back the Senate next year, he will be in a really powerful position. It doesn’t make sense to change.”
The key to being a good elected official is constituent service, Crighton said, and Markey gets high marks.
“Every time I call him, he’s been responsive, and he has a strong presence in the district, so that’s why I support him,” he said. “He’s doing a great job at the state level and tackling issues that impact the country and the world. He is good for Lynn.”
A spokesman said Kennedy was traveling and unavailable for comment.
“Joe is focused on getting around the Commonwealth and connecting directly with voters in the first weeks of his campaign,” said Brian Phillips Jr. in a statement. “He is grateful for the support he has received so far and looks forward to continuing to make his case in the months to come.”
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
