Sen. Ed Markey; Rep. Joe Kennedy III. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images; Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for RFK Human Rights)
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Sen. Ed Markey responded over the weekend to reports that Rep. Joe Kennedy III is thinking about going after his Senate seat.
Both the Boston Globe and New York Times are reporting that Kennedy is mulling a potential senate run. They say he's commissioned a survey to see how the public would feel about that move.
At a gun control event in Boston Sunday, Markey deflected questions about the reports.
"Joe and I, we speak regularly, and we will continue to talk," he said.
Markey already has two declared primary challengers—Brookline labor attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan and business executive Steve Pemberton—and says he'll run for re-election regardless of who enters the race.
Rep. Kennedy has said he doesn't want the Senate seat, and his office said in a statement to WBZ NewsRadio that Kennedy is focused on running for re-election in the House.
"Right now Joe is running for re-election," Kennedy spokesperson Emily Kaufman wrote. "He’s grateful for the recent show of support from folks across Massachusetts."
Markey released a video from fellow Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren Monday, in which Warren says Markey has her "full support."
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WBZ NewsRadio's Suzanne Sausville (@wbzSausville) reports