Rep. Joe Kennedy III, D-Mass., on Monday announced that he is currently considering making a bid for Senate, which could bring him up against a fellow Democrat.
"Over the past few weeks I've begun to consider a run for the U.S. Senate. This isn't a decision I'm approaching lightly and -- to be completely candid -- I wasn't expecting to share my thoughts so soon," Kennedy, the son of former congressman Joe Kennedy II and the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, said in a Facebook post.
"I haven't reached a decision yet -- that's the truth," he added. "I'm thinking about what I have to offer Massachusetts voters, what is most important in this political moment, and what kind of party Democrats need to be building for the future."
Although Kennedy didn’t mention who he would be challenging, the state has two Democratic senators and only one is up for re-election in 2020: Sen. Ed Markey. The other, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, doesn’t face re-election until 2024, but she is running for president, and would have to vacate her seat in the Senate if she wins.
The Boston Globe reports that Kennedy filed paperwork on Monday to create a campaign fundraising committee for a statewide election.
"I hear the folks who say I should wait my turn, but with due respect -- I'm not sure this is a moment for waiting," Kennedy wrote. "Our system has been letting down a lot of people for a long time, and we can't fix it if we don't challenge it."