Massachusetts Primary Pits Moulton's Call for Change Against Markey's Incumbency
Rep. Seth Moulton challenges Sen. Ed Markey in the Massachusetts Democratic primary, framing the race as a generational choice for the party's future.
Massachusetts voters head to the polls Tuesday for a Democratic primary that has become a focal point in the party's ongoing debate over generational leadership. In the Senate race, 47-year-old Rep. Seth Moulton is challenging 80-year-old incumbent Sen. Ed Markey, arguing that the party needs fresh faces to break from the status quo.
Moulton, a moderate who has served in the House since 2014, has repeatedly questioned what Markey could accomplish in another term that he hasn't achieved in his five decades in politics. "People ought to ask, what are you going to accomplish in the next six years that you haven't been able to accomplish in the last 50?" Moulton said during the campaign.
Markey, who has been a fixture in Massachusetts politics since the 1970s and is seeking a third Senate term, has pushed back by highlighting his progressive record, including his work on the 2022 climate bill. He has also criticized Moulton's more moderate stances, particularly his opposition to Medicare for All, calling Moulton's agenda "backwards-looking."
The race has also touched on social issues. Moulton drew criticism in 2024 for comments about transgender athletes in girls' sports, which some saw as echoing Republican talking points. He has since apologized, saying he supports the transgender community and would "always have your back."
In heavily Democratic Massachusetts, the primary is widely seen as the decisive contest, with the winner expected to prevail in November.
Similar generational battles are playing out in House races across the state. In the 8th District, 39-year-old lawyer Patrick Roath is challenging 71-year-old Rep. Stephen Lynch, who has held the seat since 2001. Roath has called for an end to "wait-your-turn" politics, while Lynch emphasizes the value of his experience.
In western Massachusetts' 1st District, progressive teacher Jeromie Whalen, 39, is running against 77-year-old Rep. Richard Neal, the dean of the New England House delegation. Whalen, who has been endorsed by the progressive group Our Revolution, is campaigning to the left of Neal on issues like Medicare for All.
Markey, who fended off a similar younger challenger in 2020 when Rep. Joe Kennedy III ran against him, has aligned himself with the party's liberal wing to fend off this latest challenge.