Senator Ed Markey led Representative Seth Moulton in two new polls of the Democratic Senate primary in Massachusetts, as the longtime incumbent seeks to hold off another generational challenge. An anti-incumbent wave has swept through the Democratic primaries ahead of the midterms, with several longtime members of Congress losing to political newcomers. Markey, 80, has drawn a challenge from Moulton, 47, who has argued it is time for new leadership in the Bay State.
Democrats have been confronting questions about the age of some of their top politicians over the past few years. Those calls grew after backlash over former President Joe Biden’s decision to run for a second term despite age concerns that grew after a debate against President Donald Trump in June 2024 that eventually led to his withdrawal. The debate was seen as a pivotal turning point in the election that boosted Trump’s campaign to return to the White House.
Although many Democrats want fewer octogenarians and a new generation of leadership, Markey appears well-positioned to fend off the challenge from Moulton, according to new polls from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Suffolk University released this week. While Moulton has sought to make the race about Markey's age and has emphasized calls for new leadership, Markey has focused on the ideological and policy differences between the two, casting himself as more in line with voters on issues like health care. Markey is viewed as one of the most progressive senators in office, while Moulton is a moderate who has criticized the party on transgender rights and has not supported Medicare for All.
Markey's focus on his progressive bona fides makes the race unique from other contentious primaries, where challengers have more often been more progressive than incumbents. Markey supporters believe a race defined by ideology, not age, could benefit him in such a progressive state. Markey has built up a consistent polling lead over Moulton, who currently represents a district based around Massachusetts’ North Shore.
Markey has served in the United States Senate since 2013 and previously served in Congress since 1976. Moulton has represented his district since 2015. The UMass Amherst poll showed Markey with a wide lead over Moulton, holding a 28-point advantage, 60 percent to 32 percent when leaners were pushed.
It surveyed 800 registered voters, including 445 Democratic primary voters, from August 5-12, 2026. The Suffolk poll showed a closer race but still gave Markey a 15-point advantage, 52 percent to 38 percent, with 10 percent undecided. It surveyed 500 likely voters from August 13-16, 2026, and was sponsored by The Boston Globe.
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