Democratic incumbents in Massachusetts hope to defy primary push for generational change

A fierce primary fight from the left risks toppling an eighth House Democrat this cycle: Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.).

Lynch, 71, is running for a 14th term in Massachusetts’s 8th Congressional District against 39-year-old lawyer Patrick Roath for the Boston-area seat on Tuesday. Roath has ripped Lynch over votes on immigration, healthcare and abortion, while the incumbent has pointed to his decades of experience and legislative accomplishments for the district.

This House race, however, is not the only Massachusetts contest where an incumbent faces a fierce primary challenge. Rep. Richard Neal (D) and Sen. Ed Markey (D) are both facing off against younger challengers as the party grapples with an antiestablishment mood and widespread calls for generational change.

“What’s telling is that you have seen some outside spending that has come in to support Roath,” explained Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ) chief elections analyst Geoffrey Skelley, adding “you don’t see that” for the primary challenger vying for Neal’s seat in the 1st District.

Roath, who served as an aide to former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D), has centered his campaign around generational change and voiced frustration over the congressman’s votes against former President Obama’s signature healthcare package in 2010 and for the Laken Riley Act.

“Our team has knocked tens of thousands of doors, and we’re feeling the energy with two days left,” Roath — who is backed by Patrick as well as David Hogg’s Leaders We Deserve grassroots organization — told The Hill in a statement. “Even people who have supported Stephen Lynch for two decades are ready for change.”

Meanwhile, 39-year-old Jeromie Whalen is vying to oust 77-year-old Neal, who has represented western Massachusetts in the House since 1989.

Whalen told The Hill he is running because of corporate influence in elections, though the high school teacher has regularly spoken about how he’s half the congressman’s age.

“You can’t advocate for lower utility bills when you’re taking money from Eversource,” he said. “You can’t advocate truly on behalf of affordable housing when Blackstone, the world’s largest landlord, is one of your biggest donors.”

Lynch and Neal have both touted their triumphs in the district as well as their backgrounds and decades of experience on Capitol Hill through their campaigns.

“My ability to successfully represent the hardworking families of this district comes from the fact that my family was one of those hardworking families in this district,” Lynch said during a recent candidate forum. He has also pointed to his support for the DREAM Act when it was initially politically unpopular.

Neal is the ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee and maintains a clear fundraising advantage over Whalen, raising $2.2 million to date. His challenger has raised just more than $330,000 in the same time period.

“Billions of dollars have come back to the people of western and central Massachusetts,” Neal said during the pair’s only debate . “There has not been a life in central and western Massachusetts that has not had a positive impact because of the efforts that I’ve made. I’ve been here. I have fought [President] Trump.”

Skelley suggested that while Lynch is seen as the favorite heading into Tuesday, Roath has notably out-fundraised the congressman and could upset the incumbent.

“We have seen some Democrats struggle in primaries after, say, voting in favor of the Laken Riley Act, which Lynch did do,” the DDHQ chief elections analyst said.

The marquee Senate race in the state spotlights the same conversations around age, but with a twist. Rep. Seth Moulton (D), 47, is mounting a longshot challenge against Markey for the progressive senator’s seat — from his right.

“Moulton is arguably the wrong candidate at the right time,” Skelley said, adding that “another young primary challenger with his kind of elected credentials might have been able to really threaten Markey.”

Though the 10-term House Democrat has sought to position himself as a progressive, Markey has notched key support from the party’s left flank, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as well as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). The incumbent also sponsored the Green New Deal.

Moulton has also faced flak for comments he made after the 2024 election suggesting transgender women and girls shouldn’t play in sports that align with their gender. He since apologized for the comments.