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MA Reps. Kennedy, Keating, Lynch Fend Off Democratic Challengers

Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy has defeated his Democratic primary challenger, Gary Rucinski.

Kennedy, a grandson of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, is in his third term. In January, he delivered the Democratic response to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address.

Kennedy has also been campaigning for other Democrats in Massachusetts and beyond. In June, he participated in a march in Texas to protest the Trump administration policy of separating children from their parents.

Rucinski, a member of Citizens' Climate Lobby, ran in large part to bring attention to the environment.

During the campaign, Rucinski said he was satisfied with Kennedy's performance on health care and other issues, but faulted his leadership on tackling climate change.

There are no Republicans running in the 4th Congressional District.

Meanwhile, Massachusetts U.S. Rep. Bill Keating has defeated his Democratic primary challenger, William Cimbrelo.

Keating was first elected to Congress in 2010 from the state's 9th Congressional District, which includes the state's South Shore, Cape Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

He serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security committees and has positioned himself as a national security expert.

Cimbrelo ran on several issues, including the expansion of Medicare to cover everyone regardless of age and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the federal agency also known as ICE.

In 2011, Cimbrelo ran for the U.S. Senate as an independent candidate against then-Republican incumbent Scott Brown, a race won by Democrat Elizabeth Warren.

Keating will face off against Republican Peter Tedeschi in the November election.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts has fended off two Democratic primary challengers, including a Boston-based software engineer.

The win means Lynch, first elected in 2001, is virtually ensured another two-year term in the 8th Congressional District. There are no Republicans on the November ballot.

Brianna Wu is a co-founder of the video game company Giant Spacekat. She rose to prominence after being targeted by what became known as Gamergate, which subjected women in the video-game industry to misogynistic threats. She says Lynch didn't do enough to oppose President Donald Trump.

Lynch says he proudly supported Trump's Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

The 63-year-old Lynch is a former union ironworker and grew up in South Boston.

Former Air Force fighter pilot Christopher Voehl also ran in the primary.

Copyright The Associated Press 2018. All rights reserved.

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