Just minutes before Rep. Joe Kennedy III was due to take the stage at the first event of his campaign for the U.S. Senate, incumbent Sen. Ed Markey issued a challenge to all three of the Democrats opposing him in the upcoming primary. Markey invited Kennedy, Shannon Liss-Riordan, and Steve Pemberton to debate climate change issues during the week of Nov. 11. "I was very disappointed at the Democratic National Committee’s refusal to hold a debate on climate change for our presidential candidates," Markey said in his invitation. "In Massachusetts, we can do better than that."Markey, 73, has represented Massachusetts in Congress since 1976. He became a U.S. senator in 2013 following a special election, filling the seat once held by John Kerry.Kennedy and Markey are both supporters of the Green New Deal, which Markey co-wrote with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Ocasio-Cortez has endorsed Markey, who also boasts endorsements from the Sierra Club, the Sunrise Movement and the League of Conservation Voters. In an exclusive interview about his candidacy for WCVB's "On the Record," Kennedy drew a difference with Markey, saying he would clear a path for the deal. “I have called for the end of the filibuster so you can actually implement policies like the Green New Deal. He hasn’t," Kennedy old OTR hosts Ed Harding and Janet Wu. Markey said he is asking local environmental groups to sponsor the proposed debate."For the next generation, we can’t wait," he said.

Just minutes before Rep. Joe Kennedy III was due to take the stage at the first event of his campaign for the U.S. Senate, incumbent Sen. Ed Markey issued a challenge to all three of the Democrats opposing him in the upcoming primary.

Markey invited Kennedy, Shannon Liss-Riordan, and Steve Pemberton to debate climate change issues during the week of Nov. 11.


"I was very disappointed at the Democratic National Committee’s refusal to hold a debate on climate change for our presidential candidates," Markey said in his invitation. "In Massachusetts, we can do better than that."

Markey, 73, has represented Massachusetts in Congress since 1976. He became a U.S. senator in 2013 following a special election, filling the seat once held by John Kerry.

Kennedy and Markey are both supporters of the Green New Deal, which Markey co-wrote with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Ocasio-Cortez has endorsed Markey, who also boasts endorsements from the Sierra Club, the Sunrise Movement and the League of Conservation Voters.

In an exclusive interview about his candidacy for WCVB's "On the Record," Kennedy drew a difference with Markey, saying he would clear a path for the deal.

“I have called for the end of the filibuster so you can actually implement policies like the Green New Deal. He hasn’t," Kennedy old OTR hosts Ed Harding and Janet Wu.

Markey said he is asking local environmental groups to sponsor the proposed debate.

"For the next generation, we can’t wait," he said.