Joe Kennedy III grew up with the world speaking about his famous family.
Now the Massachusetts congressman and red-headed grandson of Robert F. Kennedy (and great-nephew of former President John F. Kennedy) is early within the subsequent part of his own political career — which is placing him in a good greater spotlight.
On Tuesday night time, Kennedy, 39, will face off towards Sen. Ed Markey in their first televised debate ahead of a main vote on Sept. 1.
Kennedy, a four-term representative for Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District, announced last September that he was mounting a main challenge towards Markey, a fellow Democrat, for Markey’s Senate seat. (Local station WGBH will host their debate on Tuesday at 7 p.m ET.)
Listed here are five things to find out about Kennedy.
His Place in the Family Dynasty
Kennedy’s father, Joseph Kennedy II, served as a U.S. representative for Massachusetts’ eighth Congressional District for more than 10 years. After which in fact there are his grandfather and nice uncles: President Kennedy, Sens. Robert and Ted Kennedy. (The former additionally served as lawyer common.).
The truth is, the youthful Kennedy started his political profession in 2006, when he worked on his uncle Ted’s re-election campaign.
He opened up about growing up Kennedy in a 2017 interview with Town & Nation: “Individuals come up each day and often say very nice issues about my family, however typically not. You get each.”
“Look, my household means different things to totally different people,” he continued. “I feel for most people they have very fond reminiscences and consider my household made necessary contributions to the nation. And I happen to consider so too, and I’m grateful when individuals do point out that and share their tales: ‘I shook your grandfather’s hand,’ or JFK’s hand, or ‘I met your Uncle Teddy.’ “
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His Time in the Peace Corps
Shortly after graduating from Stanford University in 2003, Kennedy served in the Peace Corps for two years. He was stationed in the Dominican Republic the place he helped improve working circumstances and grow local tourism. He additionally turned fluent in Spanish.
“For all the experiences I’ve had in my life, there hasn’t been one that’s been extra impactful for me,” he advised Jimmy Kimmel last yr.
Regulation Faculty Sweethearts
Kennedy met his wife, well being coverage lawyer Lauren Birchfield Kennedy, in now-Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s class at Harvard Regulation Faculty. Warren had embarrassed him in front of the other students on his first day of regulation faculty when she asked him the definition of a sophisticated authorized term and he didn’t know the reply, he recalled to ABC News in 2016.
“No ‘hi,’ no ‘good morning,’ simply — growth,” Kennedy stated then. “Luckily for me there was a cute woman within the second to final row, who I still satisfied to marry me after that.”
Kennedy and Birchfield turned research partners, fell in love and married in 2012. They have two youngsters together: Eleanor “Ellie”, four, and James, 2.
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Sweet Tooth
Kennedy, whose family has lengthy been shadowed by struggles with habit, doesn’t drink alcohol — but he has different sugary vices. His drinks of selection are Food regimen Coke and occasional, according to The Boston Globe.
His abstention earned him the nickname “milkman” in school, the newspaper reported.
“I didn’t drink once I was in school — and I nonetheless don’t,” Kennedy as soon as stated in an interview with the Hazelden Betty Ford foundation.
“On our lacrosse workforce trips, if we stopped for a meal at an establishment the place alcohol was served, my teammates who have been of age would order a drink for themselves and a tall glass of milk for me,” he stated then. “It was all in good fun, particularly since I made positive they picked up the tab.”
Speaking Up About Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Kennedy is a vocal advocate on psychological well being issues and strengthening insurance policies to watch and treat substance abuse dysfunction.
His work has helped broaden psychological health protection for youngsters and pregnant ladies in addition to enhance habit remedy and prescription drug monitoring.
Certainly one of the initiatives Kennedy is engaged on is creating protected injection sites in Massachusetts. His cousin Saoirse Kennedy Hill died last August at 22 of an unintentional drug overdose on the family’s compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.
“We love you Saoirse,” he tweeted quickly after, “and all the time will.”
Src: 5 Things to Know About RFK's Grandson Rep. Joe Kennedy III
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