Markey shrugs off Moulton in generational clash: 3 takeaways from Massachusetts primaries

Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) bucked this cycle’s recent trend of old guard Democrats losing primaries to younger challengers, easily routing his rival in Tuesday’s primary for Senate in Massachusetts.

The race was the latest test of Democrats’ appetite for generational change in Congress – but with a progressive incumbent against a more moderate challenger, it featured a flipped dynamic compared to other high-profile showdowns this year.

At the same time, a pair of longtime moderate House Democrats also prevailed against younger, more progressive rivals on Tuesday, defying one of the defining trends of this primary cycle.

A string of other primaries in the solidly blue state, which appeared to spark strong turnout numbers , also solidified Moulton’s successor and set the stage in several contested primaries for district attorney.

Here are the key takeaways from Tuesday’s races:

The Democratic primary for Senate in Massachusetts offered dueling visions of change for the party. And Bay Staters stuck with the status quo.

Moulton, a 47-year-old who’s served six House terms, unsuccesfully pitches his younger perspective, while Markey, an 80-year-old who’s been on Capitol Hill for five decades, touted his progressive action.

With roughly 71 percent of the vote in as of 11:15 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, the incumbent was ahead of Moulton by nearly 30 percentage points.

Amid ongoing debate in the party about age, health and term limits for long-serving lawmakers, Markey’s credentials outweighed his status as the oldest Senate Democrat running for reelection.

Unlike other primaries this cycle — in which younger, progressive rivals sought to oust more centrist Democratic incumbents — Moulton was seen as relatively moderate candidate. And while blue lawmakers in other states have consistently lost to political newcomers, Moulton was running with more than a decade of experience on Capitol Hill.

Polling ahead of the race suggested the incumbent had a double-digit advantage over Moulton, with some indications that his progressive record was a boost, despite critiques over his age. He also had support from progressive titans, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).

Moulton, on the other hand, called for “a new generation of leadership,” while some supporters also pushed back on his characterization as more moderate. When Markey appeared to struggle on a debate question about artificial intelligence, Moulton argued it was a sign for younger voices to weigh in on tech and other pressing issues.

Regardless, Tuesday’s results mark an easy win for Markey after he defeated former Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.) in a 2020 primary, marking the first time a Kennedy family member lost a statewide race in Massachusetts.

Former Obama strategist David Axelrod on Tuesday hailed Markey’s victory “despite his age, because, in his Golden Years, he’s grabbed on to the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, trans rights and other marquee priorities of the Left,” despite starting out in Congress as a social conservative.

“Challenging the establishment and calling for a new generation of leadership isn’t easy, but it is necessary. I will continue to push the Democratic Party — and our country — to look towards the future,” Moulton said in a statement on the results. He pledged to “do everything I can” to help re-elect Markey in November.

“We didn’t achieve our goal tonight, but I am confident that because of this campaign others will be inspired to buck the system when they’re told to ‘wait their turn.’”

Alongside Markey, two other veteran Democrats on Capitol Hill warded off younger rivals in a pair of deep blue House races.

Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), a 71-year-old running for a 14th term in the House, defeated 39-year-old attorney Patrick Roath, all but assuring he’ll hold on to his Boston-area seat in the 8th district.

Roath, backed by David Hogg’s Leaders We Deserve organization, told The Hill this week that “even people who have supported Stephen Lynch for two decades are ready for change.”

Unlike Markey in the Senate contest, Lynch is considered a relative moderate, but he was leading by around 15 points when the race was called around 11:15 p.m., with 61 of the vote in.

Over in the western Massachusetts 1st district, Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.), who at 77 has served in the House for 19 terms, also beat back 39-year-old public school teacher Jeromie Whalen in his Democratic primary.

Whalen stressed that he was running because of corporate influence in elections but also highlighted that he’s half of the incumbent’s age.

When the race was called around 11:15 p.m.. on Tuesday, Neal was leading Whalen by about 11 points, with 72 percent of the vote in.

This year’s races are shadowed by the passing of multiple lawmakers in office, as well as renewed concerns about health and age amid 84-year-old Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) prolonged absence from Capitol Hill — and the fallout from President Biden’s surprise exit from the 2024 race amid critiques of his fitness for office.

The median age of voting members in the House was 57.5 years at the start of the 119 th Congress, according to Pew Research analysis last year. More than two-thirds of the body were aged 50 or older, and just 36 members in the 435-seat House were under age 40.

The median age in the Senate was 64.7 years at the start of this Congress, with two-thirds of the 100-member body age 60 or older, and just 2 members under age 40.

The moderate in the Democratic primary to succeed Moulton in northeastern Massachusetts came out on top Tuesday.

Former White House staffer Dan Koh is on the fast track to join Congress after beating a crowded field of Democrats, including progressive state Rep. Tram Nguyen and four other candidates, in the solid blue 6 t h district.

Koh had some of the biggest names in Democratic politics in his corner. Former President Biden as well as former Vice President Harris and Biden-era Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg all threw their weight behind his candidacy.

Before joining the White House’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs under Biden, he served as Labor Secretary Marty Walsh’s chief of staff. He was also Walsh’s top aide when he served as Boston mayor.

Nguyen, meanwhile, secured the backing of The Boston Globe and Progressive Massachusetts as well as Democratic Reps. Lori Trahan and Ayanna Pressley, who both ran unopposed in their Tuesday primaries.

Koh held a huge fundraising advantage over Nguyen too — securing over $4.7 million in contributions, per the Federal Elections Commission. Nguyen raised just under $895,000.

Koh first ran for Congress in 2018, losing to Trahan in the 3 rd district in razor-thin primary after requesting a recount, according to the Associated Press .

A Republican has not held the 6 th district seat since 1997. Koh will face off against Republican Micah Jones this fall.