Ed Markey Defeats Seth Moulton in Massachusetts Democratic Senate Primary

Democratic Sen. Ed Markey defeated Representative Seth Moulton in the Massachusetts Democratic Senate primary on September 2, 2026, according to NBC News and NewsNation projections. Markey secured victory by capturing roughly two-thirds of the vote, holding off a well-funded challenger who centered his campaign on generational change and criticisms of the incumbent’s age.

With 69 percent of the expected vote reporting, Markey was winning about two-thirds of the vote percentage points, according to NBC News. Decision Desk HQ projected early in the evening that Markey had obtained enough votes to secure the nomination and advance to the November general election, where he will face lawyer John Deaton, who ran unopposed on the Republican ballot, according to NewsNation.

Markey, 80, campaigned heavily on his extensive liberal record, pointing to his role as an author of the Green New Deal and his vocal support for Medicare for All. His campaign benefited from high-profile endorsements by progressive leaders, including Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, alongside New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, all of whom appeared in campaign advertisements for the incumbent.

Moulton, a 47-year-old congressman, staked his campaign on the argument that long-serving lawmakers should step aside to make room for a younger generation of leaders. Moulton frequently compared Markey’s tenure to that of former President Joe Biden, whom Moulton had publicly encouraged to step down during the 2024 presidential race, as reported by NewsNation.

Despite a significant financial advantage that saw Moulton and his allies spend $7.1 million on advertisements compared to $3.9 million spent by Markey and his supporters according to AdImpact data cited by NBC News, the challenger could not overcome Markey’s deep-rooted support among Massachusetts primary voters. Markey was first elected to the Senate in 2013 after serving nearly four decades in the House of Representatives.

During the campaign, Markey and outside groups targeted Moulton over past policy statements. The Commonwealth Together PAC launched advertisements criticizing Moulton for previous opposition to Medicare for All and wealth taxes, drawing on remarks Moulton made during his unsuccessful 2019 presidential campaign. Markey also criticized Moulton over past comments regarding transgender athletes following the 2024 presidential election, an issue Moulton addressed and apologized for during a recent debate, according to NBC News.

Following the projection of his victory, Moulton contacted Markey on Tuesday night to concede the race and offer his backing for the upcoming general election.

As our Democratic nominee, he has my complete backing, and this November we must unite to defeat Donald Trump and safeguard our democracy.

Seth Moulton

Markey framed the primary victory as an essential step toward maintaining progressive representation in Washington and mounting an aggressive defense against former President Donald Trump.

This is about much more than just electing any Democrat to the Senate; it is about choosing a progressive Democratic voice from Massachusetts so there will constantly be someone standing up for your principles every single day.

Ed Markey

Markey will now move on to face John Deaton in the November general election as he seeks another full term in the United States Senate.