AP previews the latest head-to-head between the party’s moderate and progressive wings
AP previews Tuesday’s Massachusetts state primary
Massachusetts Democrats head to the polls Tuesday for a state primary in which U.S. Sen. Ed Markey faces a competitive challenge from U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton in his bid for a third full term, according to an Associated Press preview by Robert Yoon.
The AP described the race as the latest head-to-head matchup between the party’s moderate and progressive wings. The contest, the AP reported, ties together two recurring themes in Democratic primaries this year: progressives versus moderates, and longtime incumbents versus significantly younger challengers.
This time, however, top progressives are backing the incumbent against a more moderate challenger, the AP reported.
Markey turned 80 in July and is the second-oldest sitting U.S. senator seeking reelection in 2026, the AP reported. He took his Senate seat in 2013 after serving nearly 37 years in the House. He last faced a competitive primary in 2020, when he defeated then-U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, 55% to 45%.
Bay State voters will also choose nominees Tuesday for U.S. House, governor, and a variety of state and local offices.
In the run-up to the primary, Markey told a debate audience he uses “whatever comes up” on his iPhone or iPad when asked whether he relies on AI platforms, an answer Moulton supporters cited as reinforcing the generational argument at the center of his challenge.