CBS Video Highlights Kennedy's Connections

TV crew was in Needham recently to film as part of the clip.

Needham residents may have seen a CBS TV news crew around town this weekend or early Monday, as part of a report on the Joe Kennedy III campaign. In the video, which can be viewed online, Kennedy’s famous family roots are highlighted, and clips are shown of the candidate walking through neighborhoods in Needham and nearby and meeting with voters. Kennedy, a Democrat, is running against Republican Sean Bielat for U.S. Congress, for Massachusetts’ Fourth Congressional District seat—a seat formerly held by Rep. Barney Frank. Kennedy and Bielat recently had their first election debate at the WCVB-TV 5 studios in Needham. The debate was taped and aired Sunday, Sept. 30. In the CBS video, Kennedy’s connection to other famous politicians is …

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Kennedy Agrees to Debate Appearances; Bielat 'Disappointed' with Announcement

Sean Bielat responded to a statement today from Joe Kennedy III announcing his appearance in three general election debates.

As the general election race for the Fourth Congressional District heats up, so begins a debate about debates. Fourth District Democratic candidate Joe Kennedy III announced on Wednesday, Sept. 19 that he would participate in three general election debates, including a spot on WCVB's "On the Record" and a candidates night at Wellesley College, which is cosponsored by the Needham League of Women Voters. A few hours after Kennedy's announcement, Fourth District Republican candidate Sean Bielat responded to the debate announcements with a letter stating he was "disappointed" to see Kennedy agree to only three debates. In his response, Bielat said he has accepted 16 debate offers to date. Kennedy will face Bielat in the Nov. 6 general election…

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Q&A: What Would You Ask Elizabeth Warren?

With a live Q&A chat coming up on Friday, Patch wants to know what questions you'd as the U.S. Senate candidate from Massachusetts.

If you could ask Massachusetts U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren a question, what would it be? Elizabeth Warren will be joining us live on Friday, July 13, at 1:15 p.m., providing an opportunity for you to ask her where she stands on a particular issue or the upcoming election.  Wondering about her stance on the national debt? What about healthcare? Education? Leave your questions for Elizabeth Warren in the comments to have them considered for the live Q&A session.  To join Friday's chat, head on over to our homepage from 1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday.

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Needhamites to Attend 2012 Democratic Convention

Local Democrats will play a key role in Springfield as U.S. Senate candidates vie for party endorsement.

  Submitted by the Mass. Democratic Party Needham Democrats will be among the more than 5,000 delegates to the Massachusetts Democratic Party’s Endorsing Convention who will gather on Saturday, June 2 in Springfield to award the party’s endorsement to one of the Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate.    In February, Democrats and unenrolled voters gathered at a caucus in Needham to elect local representatives to the convention. Additional delegates were appointed by the Democratic State Committee to ensure that young people, minorities and persons with disabilities are adequately represented. They will join together with other delegations from around the state to participate in one of the largest examples of grassroots democracy the state …

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Photo Gallery: Joe Kennedy Drops By Needham RTS

Candidate for U.S. Congress greeted voters on Saturday, April 21.

Joe Kennedy III, candidates for U.S. Congress from the Fourth Congressional District, dropped by the Needham Recycling and Transfer Station on Saturday, April 21, where he collected signatures and greeted voters. Kennedy, a former assistant district attorney, is a Democrat running in the race to succeed retiring Congressman Barney Frank.

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Kennedy Greets Voters on First Day of Campaign

Joseph Kennedy III launched his campaign for the Fourth Congressional District on Thursday, Feb. 16 and made his first campaign stop in Newton.

Kennedy To Announce Candidacy

Sources say Joseph Kennedy III will officially join the race for the Fourth Congressional District at an event in Newton on Thursday, Feb. 16.

Although he's already leading in polls and gaining endorsements, Joseph Kennedy III has yet to officially enter the race for the Fourth Congressional District, which now includes Needham. But that will change tomorrow. In a press release issued Wednesday evening, Kennedy's campaign reps said he will offficially announce his candidacy tomorrow, Feb. 16. A video announcement will be posted on www.joekennedy2012.com in the morning.  Following his announcement, Kennedy is set to make five stops in the district, starting in Newton. He is scheduled to appear at the Newton Centre MBTA stop at 7:45 a.m.  After Newton, Kennedy will travel to Milford, Attleboro, Taunton and Fall River.  “I believe this country was founded on a simple idea: that …

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Former Frank Challenger Joins 2012 Race

Rachel Brown announced her candidacy for Massachusetts' Fourth Congressional District on Friday, Feb. 10.

North Quincy Democrat and former Barney Frank challenger Rachel Brown announced late last week she plans to run again for the Fourth Congressional District seat.  Brown, 30, announced her candidacy on Feb. 10 and is part of the national slate of candidates for Lyndon Larouche's Political Action Committee (LaRouche PAC). In a press release issued by her campaign, Brown not only challenges Republicans, but also fellow Democrats, saying the country faces "abominable unemployment, dire budget problems, an imminent threat of war, and a clinically insane president." When Brown faced Frank in the 2010 Democratic primary, she received more than 10,000 votes in the district, or roughly 20 percent of the total votes cast.  Along with Brown, …

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Kennedy is Early Favorite in UMass-Herald Poll

Kennedy was favored two to one over Republican Sean Bielat in a UMass Lowell-Boston Herald Poll.

Although Joseph Kennedy III has not officially announced his candidacy, a UMass Lowell-Boston Herald Poll shows the young politician is an early favorite in the race for the Fourth Congressional District seat. According to a press release issued Thursday night, Kennedy leads two to one—60 percent to 28 percent—over Republican Sean Bielat. As the poll points out, Kennedy's early lead could, in part, come from his name—roughly three out of four voters in the district said they viewed the Kennedy family "favorably" overall. Twenty-eight percent of those who took the poll said they are more likely to vote for him because of his name.  Comparatively, 15 percent of those voters said the Kennedy name makes them less likely to vote for a candidate…

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Bielat to Give Election Bid Another Shot

Norfolk Republican joins race for the Fourth Congressional District.

After losing the Fourth Congressional District by 11 percentage points to Democrat Barney Frank in the 2010 election, Republican Sean Bielat thinks a second try in 2012 will pay off. "We started something in 2010 and we are going to finish it in 2012," Bielat told a packed room at the Attleboro Area Industrial Museum Tuesday night. The race is one Needham residents will want to follow now that the town has joined the Fourth Congressional District following the 2010 U.S. Census, and the subsequent rearrangement of Congressional districts to account for a lost seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Bielat, a Norfolk resident, will face a different opponent this time around. Frank announced in November that he would not seek re-election …

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