In many of the congressional primary races happening nationwide, a recurring theme has emerged: A young progressive looks to take on a more moderate, aging incumbent for the Democratic nomination. But in the race for a U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts, the story is a little different.
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Voters on Tuesday will choose between 80-year-old incumbent Sen. Ed Markey and 47-year-old six-term moderate U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton. Progressives have largely supported Markey’s bid for a third term, a stark contrast to efforts to oust many other congressional seniors.
Voters will also decide on a replacement for Moulton in a crowded House race. Here’s what to know about today’s elections:
A Challenge for the Senate Seat
Markey is favored to retain his seat, with most polling showing him with a comfortable lead. But his victory isn’t guaranteed – Moulton boasts endorsements from some prominent Democrats, including New Jersey Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill. The Boston Globe Editorial Board, which previously supported Markey, has also backed Moulton. Many of those endorsing Moulton are members of the political action committee Serve America, which he leads.
Markey also had a close primary race in 2020, beating then-U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III by just over 100,000 votes before winning the seat in the general election with 66% of the vote.
Markey would be 86 by the end of his term. Prior to becoming a senator, he served as a U.S. Representative from 1976 to 2013 – beginning before Moulton was born in 1978.
Markey has supported progressive priorities like impeaching President Donald Trump and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement. That support has gained him the backing of heavy-hitting progressives like independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and fellow Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
“We don’t just need a (Democratic) majority in the Senate. We need a progressive majority,” Markey wrote in a social media post Tuesday morning.
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Moulton is also facing heat for implying that support for transgender athletes cost Democrats the 2024 presidential election in an interview with The New York Times. He has since apologized for the comments and emphasized his pro-LGBTQ+ voting record.
“If you’re in the trans community or you’re a trans kid feeling the weight of the Trump administration and the Supreme Court, you matter, you’re valued, and I will always have your back,” Moulton said in an August debate.
Crowded House Races
Six candidates are vying to replace Moulton in the Massachusetts’ 6th Congressional District primary. Dan Koh, previously a staffer for former President Joe Biden, has endorsements from both Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris and $4.7 million in contributions.
But Massachusetts state Rep. Tram Nguyen holds high-level progressive endorsements from Reps. Ayanna Pressley and Lori Trahan, as well as the United Auto Workers union.
Koh’s funding will also be put to the test against financial executive John Beccia, who has loaned his own campaign $4 million. The primary winner will face Republican candidate Micah Q. Jones, who is running unopposed.
In the 8th District, the Democratic race features incumbent Rep. Stephen Lynch against attorney Patrick Roath. The moderate Lynch is the last sitting House Democrat to have voted against the Affordable Care Act in 2010, and describes himself as “pro-life” in a party that strongly supports abortion.
Roath, who supports universal healthcare and term limits on members of Congress, has outspent Lynch and secured an endorsement from the Boston Globe.
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