Massachusetts voters are deciding today whether to nominate incumbent Senator Ed Markey or challenger Representative Seth Moulton in a Democratic primary centered on generational change, with polls showing Markey commanding a significant lead despite the 47-year-old’s aggressive campaign to unseat the 80-year-old incumbent.
Markey leads by double digits across recent polling. A University of New Hampshire poll conducted August 20-24 found 63% of likely Democratic primary voters supporting Markey compared to 28% for Moulton, according to reporting from ABC News. The New York Times reported that multiple recent polls show Markey with leads ranging from 15 to 28 points heading into election day.
Moulton has built his campaign explicitly around the argument that Massachusetts Democrats should choose a younger leader. He has criticized Markey’s age directly, arguing that the incumbent would be 86 at the end of another six-year term and is too old to understand the problems facing a new generation. According to PBS NewsHour, Moulton contends that Markey is “too old to represent a generation confronting problems that didn’t exist when Markey” was at the height of his career.
The race echoes Markey’s 2020 primary victory over Representative Joe Kennedy III, another younger challenger who made similar generational arguments. Kennedy, then a rising political figure, lost to Markey in that contest by a 55.4% to 44.5% margin on September 1, 2020, according to Massachusetts election records. Politico noted that despite the current cycle’s broader wave of incumbent losses in primary races, Markey has appeared to harness antiestablishment energy even while facing a younger challenger.
On policy, the candidates are largely aligned. Both Moulton and Markey identify as progressives and agree on major issues including climate action, healthcare, and housing affordability. WBUR reported that Moulton acknowledged “there are two progressives in this race” and conceded that “it’s very hard to find policy differences here.” Markey’s campaign has highlighted his legislative record on climate policy and his work on mental health services, while Moulton has stressed his background as a Marine Corps veteran and his focus on bringing what he frames as a new generation’s perspective to the Senate.
Markey has pledged that this will be his final term if voters choose him. The Boston Globe endorsed Moulton in August, according to The Hill, marking a notable break from the incumbent. However, environmental groups and progressive organizations have largely backed Markey, citing his decades of work on climate legislation.
Polls open across Massachusetts at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. today. The winner of this primary will face the Republican nominee in November, though Massachusetts is heavily Democratic and the primary winner is considered the strong favorite in the general election.
Sources
- ABC News — University of New Hampshire poll showing Markey at 63% and Moulton at 28%
- The New York Times — Recent polling showing Markey leads ranging from 15 to 28 points
- PBS NewsHour — Moulton’s argument on Markey’s age and generational representation
- Politico — Analysis of Markey’s antiestablishment positioning despite generational challenge
- Massachusetts Election Records — 2020 primary results: Markey 55.4%, Kennedy 44.5%
- WBUR — Moulton’s acknowledgment of policy similarities and lack of substantive differences
- The Hill — Boston Globe endorsement of Moulton
- Associated Press — Reporting on the generational clash framing of the race
