Kennedy, Markey Debate for Final Time Ahead of Sept. 1 Primary

In the final debate of the Massachusetts United States Senate Democratic primary race, U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) leaned into the legislative accomplishments of his decades-long career in Washington while his opponent, U.S. Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III (D-Mass.), made the case that the incumbent’s long track record is a fireable flaw.

With two weeks until the September 1 primary, Kennedy worked to cast Markey as disconnected from local communities, but failed to make any race-changing attacks as polls show a contest he once commanded is closing during the election’s final weeks.

“I think that is why the way in which you leverage this position — the way you use this position — is so important,” Kennedy said. “You have to be present in our communities.”

Markey pointed to decades of legislative accomplishments, including when he “took on the oil industry and the auto industry” in increasing fuel economy standards, securing Alzheimer’s disease research funding, and raising money for gun violence research.

“I have 500 of these laws, and I’m very proud of that record,” Markey said. Kennedy challenges the figure because it includes bills that he co-sponsored.

Kennedy and Markey sparred over campaign tactics and funding and blamed the other for the negative turn the race has taken.

In recent weeks, a pro-Kennedy super PAC has reserved more than $1 million of airtime in Massachusetts. Kennedy’s family members, including his twin brother, have been raising money for the PAC, according to the Boston Globe. Markey is also backed by a super PAC.

Markey called on Kennedy “to tell his twin brother to stop running negative ads” in the race and to ask the PAC to disclose its funders.

“It’s your father, your twin brother — just tell them to stop the negative ads and to disclose all the contributors,” Markey said. “That’s a simple thing to do.”

Kennedy shot back, accusing Markey of being responsible for the entrance of the PACs into the race at all. Markey declined to sign the People’s Pledge, which aims to limit outside money in politics, this cycle after doing so in 2013.

“The only reason why there’s super PACs in this race is because Senator Markey wouldn’t stick to his word,” Kennedy said.

Markey took heat in the opening minutes of the debate for a pair of resurfaced incidents involving his response to constituents’ pleas for help.

Danroy Henry Sr. — the father of Danroy “DJ” Henry Jr., a Black college student who was killed by a white police officer in 2010 in New York — has said that Markey was dismissive of the Easton family’s requests for help at the time. Henry Sr. said in a Twitter video that Markey used the term “colored” in a meeting with the family.

Markey, who now says the case should be reopened, pointed to a 2014 letter he sent to federal prosecutors calling for a review of the case.

“I apologize to them for their disappointment in the meeting,” Markey said.

Kennedy said the situation “is emblematic of why we need change.”

Markey also faced questions about a charge by another constituent, Colin Bower, who said Markey was “aloof” during a meeting after his children were kidnapped by his ex-wife and taken to Egypt.

Markey said he is proud of his constituent services, pointing to his advocacy on the opioid crisis and for student internet access.

“When I hear from families, and they say they need help, I go to bat for them,” he said. “I go to Washington, and I make sure that these laws get passed, they get changed, so that families in the Commonwealth get the protection which they need.”

The two candidates also fielded a pair of questions about higher education from graduate students at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Markey called for universities to provide some form of tuition refund for college students who are left to take online classes this fall due to the coronavirus. Both also called for protections and support for international students.

“I think that they should have the option of a refund,” Markey said. “I don’t think they should be tied to having their funding personally be tied to circumstances that are beyond their control. And I think we have to have total flexibility for these individuals.”

“Whether you’re an international or domestic student, you should have the ability to ask for your money back, or some reduction in charges, that reflects the changed circumstance,” he added.

Kennedy said the federal government should allocate funding to “ensure that those education institutions are able to make things work” and to “provide support for families so that they’re not financially devastated.”

“This is where the federal government needs to step up,” he said. “Why? Because we are presented with a series of false choices.”

—Staff writer Jasper G. Goodman can be reached at jasper.goodman@thecrimson.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jasper_Goodman.