Seth Moulton says he’s running against Ed Markey for Massachusetts Senate seat

Massachusetts, get ready for a Senate primary battle. U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, 46, has announced that he will be challenging U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, 79, next year. “We’re in a 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 in his announcement video that went live on Wednesday. “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,” Moulton added. “Sen. Markey’s a good man, but it’s time for a new generation of leadership. And that’s why I’m running for U.S. Senate.” Moulton, the Salem Democrat who’s an Iraq War veteran, is not new to trying to shake up the status quo in the party. Back in 2014, he defeated longtime U.S. Rep. John Tierney — the first time in more than 20 years that a Bay State incumbent congressman lost. Moulton entered the national spotlight when he challenged House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after the 2018 midterms, calling for a new generation of Democratic leadership. Moulton in 2020 campaigned for president. Then after the 2024 election, he was all over the national headlines for blaming his party for the Republican red wave and Donald Trump’s victory — saying that Dems were “out of touch with the American people,” especially on transgender issues. Reports had been saying Moulton was considering challenging Markey, and now he’s making it official. “Democrats have failed to stop Donald Trump’s harmful, racist agenda,” Moulton said in his announcement video. “Our party has clung to the status quo, insisted on using the same old playbook, and isn’t fighting hard enough. “The next generation will keep paying the costs if we don’t change course,” he added. “This isn’t a fight we can put off for another six years. The future we all believe in is on the line… Real people across Massachusetts are being hurt by Democratic leaders refusing to do everything they can to win. We’ve got to look in the mirror and be honest: It’s time for change.” Related Articles Lucas: It’s dangerous to underestimate Sen. Ed Markey Battenfeld: Democrats want hearts of voters, but party has lost its heart Battenfeld: Long knives out in backstabbing Massachusetts congressional delegation A couple weeks ago, a poll showed that Moulton held a lead over Markey among likely Democratic voters in Massachusetts. The survey found 38% of the 278 Democrats polled would back Moulton compared to Markey’s nearly 30%. Markey last year said he would be running for a third Senate term in 2026. Back in 2013, Markey defeated U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch in a special election when John Kerry became the Secretary of State under President Barack Obama. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey has said he's seeking a third term in the Senate next year. (Herald file photo) Then in 2020, Markey handily defeated the young primary challenger Joe Kennedy III by more than 10 points. Markey, who’s from Malden, served for 37 years in the U.S. House of Representatives before joining the Senate. Markey has aligned himself with progressive groups and New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, among others on the left. He has pushed for the “Green New Deal.” Moulton in his announcement video noted that residents are facing unaffordable costs, the importance of universal health care, and tackling climate change. “I want Massachusetts to lead the nation in big, forward-looking, progressive solutions that make life better for working people,” Moulton said. “It’s why I authored the most ambitious high-speed rail plan in decades, cutting carbon emissions, creating good union jobs, and record investments in affordable housing. “But people who need help the most need wins now, so I led and passed the bipartisan 988 national mental health Lifeline that’s connected over 13 million people in crisis to critical health support,” he added. “And we have to fight harder for our kids. They need us to get back on the offensive when it comes to banning assault weapons and fighting climate change.”