Joe Kennedy III, a prominent American lawyer and politician, made a name for himself as the U.S. Representative from 2013 to 2021. Hailing from the renowned Kennedy dynasty, which boasts influential figures like President J. F. Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy, Joe was immersed in the world of politics from an early age. After completing his education at Stanford University and spending time in the Dominican Republic, he pursued a law degree from Harvard Law School. In 2012, Joe made the decision to run for the U.S. House of Representatives and emerged victorious with an impressive 59.3% of the vote. Serving four consecutive terms, he later set his sights on the Senate but faced defeat in the Democratic primary election in September 2020. Currently, Joe is actively involved in the Groundwork Project, a grassroots organization he founded in January 2021.
Quick Facts
- Nick Name: Milkman
- Also Known As: Joseph Patrick Kennedy III
- Age: 43 Years, 43 Year Old Males
- Spouse/Ex-: Lauren Anne Birchfield
- Father: Joseph P. Kennedy II
- Mother: Sheila Brewster Rauch
- Siblings: Matthew Rauch Kennedy
- Children: Eleanor Kennedy, James Matthew Kennedy
- Born Country: United States
- Lawyers
- Political Leaders
- Ancestry: Dutch American, Irish American
- Ideology: Democrats
- U.S. State: Massachusetts
- Education: Harvard Law School (2009), Stanford University (2003), Buckingham Browne & Nichols Upper School
Childhood & Early Life
Joseph Patrick “Joe” Kennedy III was born on October 4, 1980 in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. His father, Joseph Patrick Kennedy II, is a businessman and Democratic politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives. His mother, Sheila Brewster nee Rauch, comes from a banking family. Joe has a fraternal twin brother named Matthew Skakel “Matt” Kennedy.
Joe and his brother were introduced to politics at a young age, accompanying their father on his campaign trail in 1986. Despite this exposure, Joe’s childhood goal was to become a marine biologist and climb Mount Everest.
In 1989, Joe’s mother moved out of their Brighton home and settled in Cambridge, eventually divorcing their father in 1991. The boys began to split their time between Brighton and Cambridge and were eventually admitted to Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge.
Little is known about Joe’s school years, but according to his brother Matt, he was always rule-abiding and made sure his brother never broke curfew in high school. In 1999, both brothers graduated from Buckingham Browne & Nichols School and enrolled at Stanford University to study management science and engineering. Joe played lacrosse during his time at Stanford, serving as a goalkeeper and co-captain for his team.
After graduating from Stanford in 2003, Joe joined the Peace Corps and moved to the Dominican Republic’s Puerto Plata province in 2004. Fluent in Spanish, he helped tourist guides at Río Damajagua acquire new skills.
Back to Massachusetts
In April 2006, Joe Kennedy returned to Massachusetts and enrolled at Harvard Law School. He also joined his brother Matthew to co-chair their great uncle Ted Kennedy’s reelection campaign. During his time at Harvard Law School, Joe worked for the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau and co-founded an after-school empowerment program called Picture This: Justice and Power.
In 2008, Joe provided legal aid to low-income tenants with foreclosure cases and served as the technical editor for the Harvard Human Rights Journal. He also interned at the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office. In 2009, he earned his Juris Doctor degree and worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Cape and Islands Office until September 2011. He then moved to the Middlesex County, Massachusetts District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant DA.
House of Representatives
In February 2012, Joe Kennedy III announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in Massachusetts’ fourth district. He campaigned on issues such as tax reform, gay marriage, women’s rights, and President Obama’s healthcare policy. He won the primary election with over 90% of the votes and was elected to the House of Representatives on November 6, 2012.
During his time in the House, Joe served on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Science, Space and Technology. He questioned Texas Instruments’ CEO on cases of cancer among former workers of a nuclear plant. He also traveled to Afghanistan as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and was named chairman of Governor Deval Patrick’s STEM Advisory Council.
Joe was reelected to the House in 2014 and 2016. In January 2018, he gave the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address. He considered running for the 2018 Massachusetts gubernatorial election but ultimately ran for reelection to the House. In 2020, he ran for the Senate but lost to incumbent Senator Ed Markey.
Family & Personal Life
Joe Kennedy married his Harvard classmate Lauren Anne Birchfield in 2012. They have two children together, a daughter named Eleanor and a son named James Mathew Kennedy.
Trivia
Joe Kennedy was nicknamed ‘Milkman’ by his friends at Stanford because he did not drink alcohol.