Kennedy, Citing Personal Issues, Decides Not to Run for Governor

Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, sensitive to the negative publicity he and his family have received, announced Thursday that he has decided not to run for governor next year.

Kennedy, whose approval ratings have plummeted, said he feared his candidacy would end up highlighting recent scandals within his family, such as his brother’s alleged relationship with a teenage baby sitter, rather than such weighty issues as health care, jobs and education.

“The race will focus on personal and family questions. It’s not fair to my family. It’s not fair to the people of Massachusetts, and it’s not the right thing to do,” he said at a news conference.

Although Kennedy, 44, never formally declared his candidacy, he often said he planned to run.

Kennedy also said Thursday that he plans to run again next year for Congress, an office he first won in 1986. It is the same seat held by his uncle, the late President John F. Kennedy.

Kennedy, eldest son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, had been viewed as a heavy favorite in the governor’s race as recently as a year ago. The Kennedy family has gone 18 for 18 in general elections in Massachusetts over the last 50 years.

But his ex-wife, Sheila Rauch Kennedy, published a book accusing him of trying to bully her into granting him an annulment of their marriage. His brother, Michael, then was investigated for allegedly having sex with his family’s teenage baby sitter.