Joseph P. Kennedy III
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| Joseph P. Kennedy III | |
|---|---|
| Name | Joseph P. Kennedy III |
| Caption | Official portrait, 2013 |
| State | Massachusetts |
| District | MA, 4, 4th |
| Term start | January 3, 2013 |
| Term end | January 3, 2021 |
| Predecessor | Barney Frank |
| Successor | Jake Auchincloss |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Lauren Birchfield (m. 2012) |
| Relations | Kennedy family |
| Alma mater | Stanford University (BA), Harvard University (JD) |
| Birth date | 4 October 1980 |
| Birth place | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Joseph P. Kennedy III. He is an American politician and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives who served from 2013 to 2021, representing Massachusetts's 4th congressional district. A member of the prominent Kennedy family and the Democratic Party, he gained national attention for his keynote address at the 2012 Democratic National Convention and his unsuccessful primary challenge to incumbent U.S. Senator Ed Markey in the 2020 election.
Early life and education
Born in Boston, he is the son of former U.S. Representative Joseph P. Kennedy II and Sheila Brewster Rauch, and the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy. He attended Stanford University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in management science and engineering. Following graduation, he served in the United States Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic before attending Harvard Law School, where he was a member of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau and earned his Juris Doctor degree. Prior to entering politics, he worked as an assistant district attorney in Middlesex County and later in the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office.
Political career
He was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2012, succeeding retiring Democratic congressman Barney Frank. During his tenure, he served on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. He was a vocal advocate for LGBT rights, gun control, and environmental protection, co-sponsoring legislation like the Green New Deal. He delivered the Democratic response to the State of the Union in 2018.
2020 U.S. Senate election
In September 2019, he launched a primary challenge against incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Ed Markey, setting up one of the most high-profile intraparty contests of the 2020 election cycle. The race drew significant attention and involvement from national progressive groups, with Markey securing key endorsements from figures like Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Sunrise Movement. Despite high fundraising and name recognition, he was defeated by Markey in the Democratic primary on September 1, 2020.
Post-congressional career
After leaving the Congress in January 2021, he joined the Georgetown University Law Center as a professor. He also became a senior advisor to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and assumed the role of U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland. In 2022, he was appointed by the Biden administration as the Special Envoy for Northern Ireland Economic Affairs, a role focused on advancing economic development and investment following the Good Friday Agreement.
Personal life
He married Lauren Birchfield, a former Harvard Law School classmate, in 2012. The couple has two children and resides in Newton, Massachusetts. He is a practicing Roman Catholic and has been open about his family's history with substance abuse, advocating for reforms in mental health and addiction treatment policies.
Category:1980 births Category:Living people Category:American people of Irish descent Category:Kennedy family Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts Category:United States representatives from Massachusetts Category:Stanford University alumni Category:Harvard Law School alumni Category:United States Peace Corps volunteers