Patrick Kennedy is the son of the late renowned Senator Edward Kennedy, and is the only Kennedy in public office today. He made a name for himself by speaking openly about his problems with alcoholism, drug addiction, and depression, and he has been a notable advocate for the mentally ill. But now, on February 12, five months after his father's death, Kennedy announced that he is finished with the political lifestyle and will not be running for re-election.
Kennedy made the news when he crashed his car outside the U.S. Capitol in 2006. Since then, he has been in and out of a drug and alcohol addiction center in Maryland. Kennedy came back to Congress by pushing for a bill to require insurance companies to provide coverage for mental health treatment equivalent to the coverage for physical illnesses. The bill was signed into law in 2008.
"It feels like a load off my shoulders," said Kennedy after announcing his retirement. "I'll have a private life and a personal life that heretofore I really haven't experienced. I am looking forward to it."
Kennedy got into politics while he was still in college, and his first elected job was as a member of the Rhode Island Legislature. He would have been seeking a ninth term in Congress this fall if he had chosen to run again. He lived his life in the shadow of his family's political legacy, often struggling to live up to his father's expectations.
"You just have to take an extra pound of grief if you are a Kennedy," said veteran Boston Democratic strategist Dan Payne. "It helps open doors, sure, but you are always measured against the other Kennedys; that's a tough load to carry."
Once Patrick Kennedy leaves Congress, it will be the first time in sixty years that there will not be a Kennedy in office in Washington.
Others in the Kennedy family have brought about change without holding office, however. Some Kennedys have become activists, getting involved with such campaigns as promoting the Special Olympics, protecting the environment, and fighting fetal alcohol syndrome. Kennedy said his father agreed that you don't have to hold public office to make a difference.
It is possible that Patrick Kennedy's older brother, Edward Kennedy Jr., may continue the family dynasty by running for office. The Connecticut attorney said he is considering getting into politics but has no immediate plans to.
