THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 Page 15 Markey scores reelection win over Kennedy Incumbent U.S. Senator comes full circle from underdog to commanding winner By Steve Freker F or someone other than Ed Markey, it might have raised an eyebrow when the victorious candidate strode to the openair podium, arm-in-arm with his wife and a radiant gleam in his eye as he began to speak. The tall victor looked resplendent and refreshed in a neat sport coat, not tired or worn down from seemingly endless campaign runs from one end of the state to another. Standing at the podium on the lawn of the Malden Public Library on Tuesday night, Markey seemed just serene and satisfi ed, from the top of his head... right down to those authentic 1987 Nike Air Revolution sneakers. To say Ed Markey is unique is an understatement. But really, how many U.S. Senators have given a major victory speech across our nation wearing Jordans? All the way back from down double-digits in June Then again, how many incumbents were down doubledigits to an upstart challenger just 10 weeks before the primary election and forcefully fl ipped the script to pull out a nearly 11-point victory? That’s unique. Trailing at many junctures to challenger U.S. Rep, Joe Kennedy III in the polls, the Maldenbred Markey tenaciously campaigned hard all summer and essentially ran on his record on a number of major issues. Called a dead heat just three weeks ago – Markey stuck to his frenetic campaign pace and made a stunning turnaround, grabbing the lead in every poll just days before Tuesday’s election, on his way to a 55-45 percent win by nearly 150,000 votes statewide. Sen. Markey, who is the heavy favorite to fend off a Republican challenger, Kevin O’Connor, in the General Election on Nomargin, 3,583 votes to Joseph Kennedy III’s 3,667 votes. Markey, who appeared at 11:00 p.m. in Malden at an open-air victory celebration on the lawn of the Malden Public Library in the heart of Malden Square, introduced and thanked his wife, Dr. Susan Blumenthal, and then thanked his supporters. Markey: “It is a celebration of a movement” “Tonight is more than just a HOMETOWN HERO: U.S. Senator Ed Markey celebrates his win over U.S. Congressman Joseph Kennedy III in the September 1 Primary Election. (Advocate photo by Josh London) vember 3, handed his primary foe the fi rst defeat a candidate from Kennedy’s extended family has ever sustained in Massachusetts politics. Markey, 74, a lifelong Malden resident who was fi rst elected to Congress nearly 50 years ago, in 1976, did it by harnessing the youth vote, exemplifi ed by an emphasis on social media and groups like @StudentsforMarkey fl ooding Twitter and Instagram with support for much of the 18-month campaign. Landslide wins in college towns a harbinger of support source Probably no better harbinger of Markey’s groundswell of support among younger voters in the 18-34 age bracket was how he dominated in college towns, such as Amherst and Northampton, nearing or topping 80 percent in both and bringing out near-record primary turnouts surpassing 50 percent there. Here in his hometown Malden, Markey also won big, taking a 69-31 percent victory (7,798-3,474 votes) over Kennedy, the eighth-highest percentage win of all communities in the Commonwealth. Malden also saw a larger than usual turnout of 39 percent, primarily due to the Markey-Kennedy race. Other big victories came in liberal Democratic strongholds, such as Cambridge (81-19 percent) and Arlington (77-34 percent). Markey also won the biggest prize, Boston, by a commanding 59-40 percent margin. In Revere, Markey lost by a slim celebration of an election; it is a celebration of a movement. Thank you to the thousands of grassroots supporters who organized around the principles that we believe in. We could not have done it without you,” Sen. Markey said. Markey recalled his Malden roots, including the very library where he studied “until they turned off the lights” while attending Boston College and then Boston College Law School, his parents “sitting at the kitchen table [in Edgeworth] trying to fi gure out how MARKEY | SEE Page 21 Wishing you a happy and safe Labor Day Weekend! Our branches will be closed on Monday, September 7th . Please remember that you can still access our Online & Mobile Banking platforms and ATMs when the bank is closed. RIGHT BY YOU Jerry Ready of Malden, a supporter of U.S. Senator Ed Markey, on election night. (Advocate photo by Josh London) Member FDIC Member DIF
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