Ed Markey Announces Senate Bid

Story Updated 11:18AM Saturday, December 29, 2012

– Allison Goldsberry

Congressman Ed Markey has officially launched his campaign for US Senate.

Several media outlets reported Rep. Markey, in Congress for over thirty years, has announced his intentions for the seat, which will be vacated by Senator John Kerry, who is expected to be the next Secretary of State.

Rep. Markey’s campaign website, edmarkey.org, states “Markey for Senate,” but doesn’t appear to have more content than just the home page.

“I have decided to run for the U.S. Senate because this fight is too important. There is so much at stake. We need a Senator who will work with President Obama, and anyone else, to move our country and our Commonwealth forward,” said Markey in a statement. “We need to invest in innovation and jobs, protect Social Security and Medicare, institute sane policies on guns and violence, and curb the pollution that is causing global warming.”

According to a New York Times article, several prominent Democrats are backing Markey, including Sen. Kerry.

“While I began last week to formally step out of politics and it’s very important that I respect the apolitical nature of the post I hope to soon occupy, as Massachusetts’ senior senator today and as a colleague of Ed Markey’s for 28 years, I’m excited to learn of and support his decision to run for the United States Senate,” said a statement from Sen. Kerry.

The article also says Victoria Reggie Kennedy, the widow of former Senator Ted Kennedy, supports Markey’s senate bid.

Rep. Markey, a Malden native, was first elected to Congress in 1976. He successfully fought off a Republican challenger in November to win re-election to another two-year term, which begins in January. It is unclear at this point when exactly the Senate race would take place in 2013.