By David Weigel in the Washington Independent:
Joe Kennedy II, the eldest son of Robert F. Kennedy who became a six-term congressman from Massachusetts, has passed on a run for his uncle’s Senate seat, even after a poll portrayed him as the clear favorite. But Joe Kennedy, a Libertarian Party activist, has thrown his hat in the ring. His reasons for running:
My immediate concerns regarding government lie more on the Federal level than at the State level which is why I am aiming for a position in the Federal Government. As this would be a large personal change and require a firm commitment to public service, I made the decision early that I were make such a change, I would prefer to do it for 6 years (as a Senator) and not for 2 (as a Congressman).
There’s considerable irony here. Fifty-three years ago, John F. Kennedy famously beat Joseph Russo for a seat in Congress after a janitor, also named Joseph Russo, was placed on the ballot to help split the vote. Republicans might not get so lucky with this Kennedy. “I do not have a campaign fund,” he warns, “nor the ability to obtain the required signatures to get on the ballot.”
During that JFK race, did they list the name of parties on the ballot?
If I were chairman of the Republican Party of Massachusetts, I’d find a way to make sure Joe Kennedy got the money to get on the ballot.
Has anyone approached him???
Running a candidate named Joe Kennedy is brilliant in that race. It reminds me of the great Eddie Murphy movie, “The Distinguished Gentleman.” The local congressman died, and it turns out that Murphy’s con man character had the same name. So he ran on the platform, “Vote for the name that you know!” and of course, he won. It shows just how little the voters really follow politics.
When is the special election?
Joe issues sound good, but can we really trust another Kennedy. Ted Kennedy is a pure liberal. Doesn’t it run in the family.
I hope this guy does get on the ballot. Actually it reminds me of a story.
I remember in Chicago there was fierce competition within the Democratic Party, particularly on the South Side. The Shaw brothers (State Senator William & Cook County Commissioner Robert), along with Alderman William Beavers were big critics of Jesse Jackson & his political machine. They had originally helped Jesse Sr. run for President in the 1980s, but did not appreciate his growing influence in Cook County. Jackson had started to endorse their challengers in the local races, including the controversial James Meeks who won Bill Shaw’s seat in the State Senate. Incidentally, Meeks was first elected as an Independent candidate over the Democratic incumbent Shaw. Earlier, Jesse Jr. & Meeks helped Anthony Beale beat Robert Shaw’s son Herbert in the race for 9th Ward Alderman.
The Shaws & the Beavers almost got a truck driver named “Jesse L. Jackson” to run against Jesse, Jr. in his House race. They claimed that they were not behind the effort but I remember hearing them on the radio saying that the only reason the famous Jackson gets elected is because of his name, so what’s the difference? Incumbent Jesse Jr. spent a lot of money trying to get the truck driver off the ballot, but he (truck driver) ended up not running anyway due a death in the family.
BTW this competition still plays out today. Bob Shaw was the mayor/village president of Dolton, Illinois when he died of cancer in 2008. One of the top candidates running for the empty spot was Riley Rogers, the uncle of Jesse, Jr-endorsed Larry Rogers who beat out Robert Shaw for a position with the Cook County Review Board. Rogers was defeated in the primary by Ronnie Lewis, who was supported by Bob Shaw.
Jesse Jr’s wife Sandi ran and defeated William Beavers’ daughter Darcel for the 7th Ward Alderman race in 2006 and against Beavers himself for a Democratic committeeman post in 2008. Previously, William Beavers had infamously described himself as “the hog with big nuts”.
Anyway, good luck to the Kennedy guy.
There are already libertarian petitioners in the state collecting signatures for the sales tax reversal. The people are here to do the work. All Joe needs is the money to pay them.
The following message was sent to known Libertarian volunteers in Massachusetts. As sent late yesterday:
Fellow Libertarian Volunteers!
I have good news.
A member of our National Party has decided to run for U.S. Senate in the special election. His Attorney pulled the required papers last week. To my knowledge, he is the only national or state party member in the race.
He brings to the campaign a Massachusetts advantage — he was born with the name Joe Kennedy.
Now Joe Kennedy — the libertarian Joe Kennedy — needs to get on the ballot. We have one lucky break. At the start of August, his party registration was Unenrolled (independent). That cuts in half the number of people who need to be asked to sign his nominating papers.
Joe Kennedy still needs to collect over 15,000 signatures by November.
He isn’t personally wealthy. He can’t pay for ballot access petitioning by himself. He’d need almost $20,000 for ballot access.
He needs the help of our corps of volunteers. That’s you.
It’s a personal decision. Do you want on the ballot someone who supports our libertarian principles? Or do you want to choose between a Democrat, a Republican, and a Green?
You can read about him at http://joekennedyforsenate.com/
TO REQUEST PETITIONS, EMAIL HIM AT
Joe Kennedy
Donations can be mailed to Committee to Elect Joe Kennedy to Senate, 20 Hyde Park St., Dedham, MA 02026.
Is he working on the campaign? I watched him yesterday at the Boston Freedom Rally. All the time your state party volunteers were running an OPH booth, Joe Kennedy was hard at work, collecting signatures.
Best wishes,
George Phillies