Most of the country's political conversation is focused on the general election, coming up in November,

and that conversation might have stayed focused on the general if we hadn't seen this political ad

about the Democratic Senate primary in Massachusetts.

There's an invisible contract we all signed at birth. about the Democratic Senate primary in Massachusetts.

There's an invisible contract we all signed at birth.

The Massachusetts primary is today.

This ad, released by incumbent Senator Ed Markey,

just a few weeks ago, was designed to take over the conversation.

It's three minutes long.

If you break the sacred contract, the people make a revolution.

It refers to revolution and a new deal. It notes Markey's work with Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

And then the ad takes unmistakable aim at Markey's opponent in the race,

Congressman Joseph Kennedy, the third. Marky's voiceover inverts the famous quote of his opponent's

great-uncle, President John F. Kennedy. With all due respect, it's time to start asking what your country can do for you.

The ad shows how the Massachusetts Senate primary has become a contest. Who's more likely to shake

things up in Washington? Who's the more progressive liberal? Seventy-year-old Senate Democrat

Ed Markey, a fixture in Congress since the Carter

administration, or 39-year-old Congressman Joe Kennedy, elected to the House in 2012.

Are Ed Markey and Joseph Kennedy very different politically?

The kinds of votes that they'd take, the kinds of policies they put forward, their worldview.

Is there much difference between these two men?

No.

...