Nadler, Maloney endorse Markey in Senate primary

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) scored endorsements from House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday ahead of his Senate primary race against challenger Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.).

In statements released first to The Hill, Nadler and Maloney highlighted Markey’s progressive record on issues like health care and climate change.

“I know his character, and I know his leadership,” Nadler said, calling Markey his friend. “There is no doubt in my mind that Ed Markey is the right candidate to fight for the working families in Massachusetts and bring bold, progressive ideas to Congress. Ed has been a champion for climate action, universal health care, and social justice throughout his career. On these issues, he leads and he delivers.”

Maloney also honed in on her work with Markey to secure $25 million in funding to study gun violence as a public health crisis.

“I’m grateful to Ed for his visionary leadership, and energized by his passion and unfailing commitment to serving the people of Massachusetts and our country,” Maloney said.

The endorsements mark yet another divide among Democrats in the primary, which is slated to take place on Sept. 1.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) threw her support behind Kennedy last week, saying he represented the party’s future.

While Markey congratulated Kennedy on the endorsement in a statement, a number of progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), criticized the Speaker for getting involved in a primary.

“This move reeks of hypocrisy: the party is setting one standard for progressives and one entirely different standard for the establishment,” Alexandra Rojas, the executive director of the progressive group Justice Democrats, said in a statement. 

Both candidates have received notable endorsements from Springfield to Washington, D.C.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and fellow Mass. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D) have both voiced their support for Markey, while Kennedy has garnered endorsements from figures like Progressive Caucus Chairman Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and the late civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.).