The Kennedy name no longer assures victory, even in Massachusetts

“JOE KENNEDY knows how a legacy is earned,” begins a new campaign ad for Joe Kennedy, a 39-year-old congressman who is running for the US Senate in Massachusetts. The ad weaves footage of Mr Kennedy helping his constituents with images of his famous family. His great-great-grandfather was a Boston mayor, his dad was a congressman, his great-uncle was president, another served as senator and his grandfather was attorney-general, a senator and a presidential candidate. A Kennedy running for the Senate in Massachusetts should be a shoo-in, especially one with an abundance of red hair. But the Kennedy name may no longer carry the same resonance it once did.

A University of Massachusetts Amherst poll indicates that young people are more attracted to his Democratic-primary opponent and incumbent, Ed Markey. Mr Markey is a Washington veteran. He served as a congressman for nearly four decades before becoming a senator in 2013. He has proved resilient, and his digital strategy has cleverly targeted younger voters. One clip of him shooting hoops while wearing khakis and old trainers has gone viral. Others star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive New York congresswoman widely known as AOC, who introduced the Green New Deal with Mr Markey. For the first time in his long career this rather cerebral politician has taken on a rock-star...