Seth Moulton to Take on Ed Markey in Massachusetts Senate Race

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, a Marine veteran and moderate Massachusetts Democrat, has announced his challenge to incumbent U.S. Sen. Edward Markey in the 2026 Democratic primary.

Moulton's campaign focuses on affordability, health care, climate change, banning assault weapons, and protecting democracy. He is also championing bipartisan efforts such as the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and high-speed rail.

With a background that includes five terms in Congress and four combat tours as a Marine infantry officer, Moulton positions himself as a candidate who advocates generational change and fresh perspectives.

Moulton criticizes the political status quo. He argued that Massachusetts cannot afford to wait another six years for new leadership, and he aims to challenge Markey's established influence.

"We're in crisis, and with everything we learned last election, I just don't believe Sen. Markey should be running for another six-year term at 80 years old," Moulton said about his campaign in a statement shared with WBZ-TV CBS News Boston. "Even more, I don't think someone who's been in Congress for half a century is the right person to meet this moment and win the future."

Markey, who would turn 80 before his third six-year term would begin, has strong endorsements from prominent Democratic leaders and emphasizes his experience and record of advocacy on health care, clean energy, and Massachusetts' interests.

Markey is used to hard-fought races, especially in a special election for the Senate seat vacated by Sen. John Kerry, who became Secretary of State. Markey also confronted a challenge in 2020 from Rep. Joe Kennedy III in the Senate primary. In that fight, he teamed up with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the Green New Deal climate change initiative, calling Kennedy "a progressive in name only."

WBUR noted the significance of the Moulton-Markey campaign. "The Moulton-Markey race is one of a number of congressional contests emerging across the country that will be fought along generational lines — and there's a lot riding on the outcome," wrote Anthony Brooks. "Following their resounding defeat in the last election, Democrats are desperate to find their way out of the political wilderness, and people like Moulton say younger leaders have the map."