Rep. Joe Kennedy political future has been the subject of intense speculation since he commissioned a poll in July that tested his favorability against incumbent Sen. Ed Markey. | Larry French/Getty Images Elections Kennedy makes key hire for Senate campaign-in-waiting The aide, Rich Thuma, previously worked for Kennedy's potential rival, Ed Markey.

BOSTON — Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) is staffing up as he seriously considers a Senate race: On Thursday, he offered a job to a political operative who is well known to both him and his potential challenger.

Rich Thuma, who previously worked for the Democratic senator whom Kennedy would challenge, Ed Markey, accepted the job shortly after noon Thursday. He was working as the New Hampshire state director for Gov. Steve Bullock’s struggling presidential run.


The hire is a sign that the 38-year-old Kennedy is already gearing up as he publicly weighs whether to take on Markey. It also illustrates the tense divisions that a Markey-Kennedy matchup would create within the Massachusetts political class. Many volunteers, operatives and donors have supported both politicians, and now find themselves in the uncomfortable position of choosing sides.

“We aren’t going to comment on the staffing process for a potential campaign,” said Kennedy spokeswoman Emily Kaufman.

But Kennedy is clearly creating a campaign in waiting in case he decides to run.

Thuma said he couldn’t comment when POLITICO reached him by phone because he had accepted the job offer only 90 minutes earlier and hadn’t been able to tell his boss yet. An hour later, after he gave notice, he directed all questions to Kennedy’s spokeswoman.

Kennedy is considering getting in the race but hasn't reached a formal decision, according to those close to him. He plans to attend the state’s Democratic convention this weekend to continue getting feedback on a potential bid. He plans to make a decision in the next few weeks.

In 2018, Thuma was campaign manager for tech executive Gray Chynoweth, who lost his race for New Hampshire’s Executive Council.

Thuma worked for Kennedy in the past, serving as deputy director of scheduling in 2012 before jumping over to Markey’s office as director of scheduling a year later.

His departure from the Bullock campaign is another setback for the Montana governor, who has failed to gain traction in New Hampshire and elsewhere.

Democratic sources said Nick Clemons is driving the hiring process for the potential campaign. Clemons most recently was Kennedy’s district director, after previously serving as his campaign manager in 2012.

Kennedy’s political future has been the subject of intense speculation since he commissioned a poll in July that tested his favorability against Markey, and campaign messaging for both candidates.

Kennedy and Markey have largely steered clear of one another since it became clear Kennedy was considering a Senate run. At a political breakfast earlier this month, Kennedy shook hands with supporters, but left before Markey spoke. Similarly, Kennedy will not be in the room when Markey speaks at the state convention this weekend, and instead will hold congressional office hours on the other side of the state. Later in the afternoon, Kennedy will speak on a panel hosted by the convention.

Early polling shows Kennedy with a 14-point lead over Markey in a head-to-head race, and a 9-point lead in a four-way race against Markey and already-announced candidates Steve Pemberton and Shannon Liss-Riordan. The Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll conducted shortly after Labor Day showed voters think Kennedy would be a better fighter than Markey for Democratic priorities, a better adversary against the president and more liberal.

Financially, the lawmakers are evenly matched. Kennedy has $4.2 million in his war chest, and Markey is close behind with $4 million in his Senate campaign account. Markey has the backing of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and has been endorsed by a majority of his colleagues in the Massachusetts delegation, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren.