The loss was devastating for the Kennedy family as Joseph Jr. was destined to have a bright political future ahead of him. With the tragic death of his eldest son, Joseph Kennedy Snr. turned his political hopes towards JFK and landed him a job as a special reporter for Hearst Newspapers after he was discharged from the Navy in March 1945.
After his exploits and the bravery he showed during the PT-109 incident, JFK was already seen as a war hero in the eyes of the public. His father intended for this position to help JFK gain even more international political experience, he would go on to cover such events as the Potsdam conference and parlay that into a future run for the same Massachusetts 11th District seat that he had hoped his eldest son would take.
A run that would ultimately be successful as JFK won the Democratic primary with 42 percent of the vote, defeating ten other candidates. He then went on to defeat his Republican opponent in the 1946 general election taking 73 percent of the vote and taking the place of his brother in Congress.
