Markey says he uses 'whatever comes up' on iPad at Moulton debate

Moulton campaign makes Markey’s age the central issue

The exchange came in a recent debate ahead of Tuesday’s Massachusetts Democratic primary, where Representative Seth Moulton, 47, is challenging 80-year-old incumbent Senator Ed Markey.

Asked at the debate whether he uses AI platforms such as Claude or ChatGPT, Markey told the audience he uses “whatever is inside of my iPhone or my iPad — whatever comes up.”

He added that he does not know “what companies my iPad may be using,” according to AP reporting.

For Moulton supporters, the exchange crystallized the argument at the center of his challenge. Eighteen-year-old Moulton backer Arsen Bagdassarian said Markey’s answer “reinforced a concern that has become central to Moulton’s campaign” — that the senator “is too old to represent a generation confronting problems that didn’t exist when Markey entered Congress 50 years ago.”

Markey first entered Congress 50 years ago. If re-elected, he would be 86 at the end of another term.

Moulton’s campaign has made Markey’s age a central issue, framing the primary as a question about whether Massachusetts Democrats want a senator positioned for the next generation of challenges.

The Massachusetts Democratic primary will be held Tuesday.

Whether the exchange sways undecided voters will become clearer when Tuesday’s primary results are reported.