Kennedy and Bielat to Face off for Fourth Congressional District Seat
Kennedy and Bielat both had huge victories in the district.
After months of campaigning across a large and newly redrawn district, the pool of Fourth Congressional District candidates has officially been whittled down from six to two.
Democrat Joe Kennedy III and Republican Sean Bielat will be the two names on the November ballot for the Fourth Congressional District, according to reports from the Associated Press.
Despite the low voter turnout, Kennedy had a landslide victory against his two opponents, Rachel Brown and Newton resident Herb Robinson, taking more than 90 percent of the vote according to AP reports.
"Tonight, I am honored to accept the Democratic nomination for the Fourth Congressional District of Massachusetts," Kennedy said in an emailed statement.
"First and foremost, I’d like to thank the more than 3,000 volunteers who made tonight possible. Together we knocked on over 40,000 doors, made nearly 175,000 phone calls, held over 200 events across the Fourth District and built an organization that can't be matched. And we’re just getting started," Kennedy said.
Kennedy is a former assistant district attorney for the Cape and Islands as well as Middlesex County. He is the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy and the son of former U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy II, who represented the Eighth Congressional District from 1987-1999.
And for the second time in two years, voters will see Bielat's name on the ballot for the Fourth District; the Norfolk Republican ran against Barney Frank in 2010.
"Thank you for going to the polls today and supporting my race for Congress. Tonight, Hope and I are honored to have the support of voters in the primary election for the Fourth District. We credit this victory to our volunteers who continue to amaze us each day with their creativity, dedication and passion," Bielat said in an emailed statement.
Bielat, a former U.S. Marine, managed to defeat fellow Republicans Elizabeth Childs and David Steinhof with more than 70 percent of the vote, the AP reported.
The winner of November's Fourth District race will replace veteran Congressman Frank. The 16-term Democrat announced his retirement last year following congressional redistricting in Massachusetts.
Shortly after Frank's announcement, names started flying around with potential replacements and at one point, the race had as many as nine potential candidates.
Bielat announced his candidacy in January, saying his campaign "started something in 2010 and we are going to finish it in 2012."
Launching his campaign in February, Kennedy was the last candidate to enter the race, although rumors about his candidacy had been floating around weeks before the official announcement.
Fourth District voters will determine their next congressman during the general election on Nov. 6, 2012.
Howard Kosrofian
9:25 am on Friday, September 7, 2012
THIS STATE IS IN SUCH A SORRY STATE OF AFFAIRS. IM SAD TO SAY KENNEDY MORE THAN LIKELY WILL WIN THIS THING. STOP AND THINK ABOUT THIS, WE ARE IN TOTAL DEMOCRAT CONTROL SINCE 1960. OH SURE WE HAVE HAD A RUPBLICAN GOVONOR`S THERE HAND`S ARE TIED FOR THE MOST PART. STATE HOUSE HAS BEEN 85-90% CONTROLED BY DEMOCRATS, TOTAL ONE PARTY RULE.IT`S SO BAD HERE EVEN I GUY LIKE SCOTT BROWN HAS TO KEEP SAYING HE IS AN INDEPENDENT, TO HAVE A CHANCE TO BEAT AN UP START LIKE WARREN WHO HAS BEEN PLANTED HERE TO WIN BACK KENNEDY`S SEAT.IT`S SO BAD IM NOT SURE JOE KENNEDY EVEN HAS TO CAMPAIGN TO WIN. PEOPLE WITH REPUBLICAN BEIEFS HAVE TO PUT A D IN FRONT OF THERE NAME TO GET ELECTED.Let`s hope the rest of this great country, doesn`t have the mind set of massachusetts come NOVEMBER. BECAUSE COME TAX TIME IM GETTING TIRED OF BEING LIKE MOST REPUBLICAN`S HAVING TO SIGN THE FRONT OF THE TAX CHECK, NOT THE BACK OF THE CHECK LIKE MOST DEMOCRATS DO.