The thing I think is missing in this contest is the fact the Kennedy family don't really have that great a track record in actually winning competitive races; 1980 bombed, the Lt-Gov race in Maryland was lost, the 2018 Illinois Primary was even more of a joke than 1980.
Joe Kennedy III won his primary in 2012 I assume because Barney Frank endorsed him & because he didn't face a significant primary challenge.
Besides I think the fact that the polls show he's getting 40-45% show he's popular; it's just not that easy to knock off an incumbent senator who hasn't really done anything to repel voters.
The only truly competitive race I can think of won by the Kennedy family was JFK's own election in 1960, and that was sixty years ago. And of course, we all know of what has been said about the electoral chicanery that took place in Illinois and Texas during that election. RFK of course had his Senate race in New York in 1964, but he was carried into office on President Johnson's coattails. And again, that was many decades ago. There is no member of the family in recent times who has successfully won a competitive race.
JFK's first Massachusetts Senate race in 1952 against incumbent (& future Nixon 1960 running mate) Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. was really close too: 51-48.
Teddy won the ‘94 Senate Race against Romney, which was competitive through September of that year.
