Joe Kennedy Since Giving Up Massachusetts Congressional Seat

Not long ago, it appeared that young Joe Kennedy III would be the future of Massachusetts, and perhaps American politics.

Have you seen Kennedy lately?

Joseph Patrick Kennedy III was born in Brighton, Massachusetts, on October 4, 1980 to Sheila Brewster (Rauch) and Joseph P. Kennedy II. Kennedy arrived eight minutes after his fraternal twin brother, Matthew Rauch Kennedy.

The Kennedy twins are the grandsons of the late U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy.

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After earning a Bachelor's Degree from Stanford University, Kennedy served two years with the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. He returned to school, earning a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.

Kennedy, a Democrat, announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 when Rep. Barney Frank retired.

In 2020, Kennedy gave up his House seat and launched an unsuccessful primary challenge to U.S. Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts.

Early polling placed Kennedy way ahead of Markey in the early going, but a series of Kennedy missteps and Markey's popularity with young voters who supported his views on environmental issues turned things around for Markey.

After leaving office, Kennedy founded the Groundwork Project, a community organizing effort, and served on the President's Commission on White House Fellowships.

In 2022, President Joe Biden appointed Kennedy as the United States Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs. In that position, Kennedy is the top U.S. diplomat supporting the Northern Ireland peace process.

Few political observers believe Kennedy has given up on a future in politics.

Kennedy married Lauren Anne Birchfield in 2012. The couple has two children.