Options are limited for another Kennedy to inherit the Senate seat held by the family for nearly five decades.
Under Massachusetts state law, a vacancy in the US Senate forces the Massachusetts governor to call a special election between 145 and 160 days after it becomes official.
Ted Kennedy's nephew Joseph Kennedy(56) – the eldest son of Robert Kennedy – served six terms as a US congressman from Massachusetts and now runs the non-profit Citizens Energy Corp, which delivers cheap heating oil to the state's poor.
He considered running for governor of Massachusetts several times but always decided against it, including in 1997 when his ex-wife came out with a less- than-flattering book about him.
Other potential Kennedy torch-bearers include Ted Kennedy's son, representative Patrick Kennedy(42), a Democratic congressman from neighbouring Rhode Island.
He would need to move to Massachusetts if he were to run for his father’s seat.
Patrick Kennedy’s brushes with controversy could complicate a run for higher office – most recently in 2006 when he sought help for dependency on prescription drugs after crashing his car into a security barrier in Washington. Just this year he suffered a relapse in his battle with addiction.
The political fortunes of another family member, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend(58), the eldest child of Robert Kennedy and a former lieutenant governor of Maryland, foundered in 2002 when she lost a bid for governor.
Caroline Kennedy(51), daughter of John F Kennedy, withdrew her bid to fill the Senate seat for New York vacated by Hillary Clinton. An author and philanthropist, she faced criticism for giving what some found to be vague or inarticulate answers in media interviews. Some also questioned whether Kennedy, who did not bother to vote in a number of elections, would be getting the seat solely because she carried the family name.
There is also potentially, though untested, Robert F Kennedy jnr, an environmental activist and lawyer, who has never held elected office.
– (Reuters)