It's been just over three years that Massachusetts has gone without a Kennedy in office. Sen. Edward Kennedy’s death left a U.S. Senate seat vacant in 2009.
The 32-year old Joe Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy's grandson, doesn’t bring previous political experience to his new office, but he does fulfill the expectation of some voters who told WGBH their choice wasn’t so much between Kennedy and Bielat, as much as it was a chance to bring a Kennedy back into state politics.
Coming out of the polls, Brookline resident Jacob Schlitt said, “Joe Kennedy is young but Teddy Kennedy was young and he became the lion of the senate. Hopefully Joe Kennedy over the years will mature and be an effective Congressman.”
Following the election from WGBH Studios, UMass political scientist Erin O’Brien said it was the winning candidate’s last name that cleared his way in the primary and earned him nearly four times the campaign contributions.
"Perception means so much in politics,” O’Brien said, adding that potential donors viewed the Republican candidate unfavorably against a member of such a well-known political family.
“Who wants to bet against a Kennedy? He raised a ton of money and didn't have to get policy specific,” O'Brien said.
In his concession speech, Bielat said he feels like it would be logical to move on and not squander the energy and potential he spent months building during the campaign.
"At the end of the night, we're all still Americans. We're all still in the same boat. We're all still rowing in the same direction. And we just have to keep up the involvement. "
