Massachusetts Representative Auchincloss Makes a Decision About His Future

Massachusetts Democratic voters who were hoping for an option other than U.S. Senator Ed Markey for next year's election can forget about a primary challenge from 4th District Congressman Jake Auchincloss.

The 37-year-old Auchincloss, whose district includes Fall River, had been rumored to be considering a challenger to Markey, who will be 80 years old when he seeks another six-year term in 2026.

Yahoo News reported Auchincloss told the Boston Globe on Monday that he plans to seek re-election to the House of Representatives next year.

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Auchincloss told the paper he wants to "focus his time on running Majority Democrats, the coalition of young Democratic elected officials he co-founded this summer in a bid to reshape the party's image and platform."

"The country is in crisis, the party is in the doldrums," he said. "Ultimately, I decided I could have maximum impact as chair of Majority Democrats, rather than an expensive primary campaign."

Auchincloss was elected to the 4th District seat in November 2020, a seat left vacant when Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III chose to run in the primary against Markey rather than seek re-election.

Young Kennedy had his backside handed to him by the aging Markey, whose career was revived by his association with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and their co-sponsorship of the Green New Deal legislation.

Kennedy was expected to trounce Markey, but was stunned instead.

Perhaps after several months of reading the tea leaves and news accounts of Kennedy's drubbing by Markey, Auchincloss thought it best to wait six years, when Markey might consider retiring rather than run for re-election.