Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey won the state's Democratic primary on Tuesday night, dispatching a younger and more moderate challenger in a significant victory for the party's progressive wing.
Markey defeated Rep. Seth Moulton, a decorated veteran of the war in Iraq who had long been tipped as a rising star in the party but struggled to turn his potential into lasting political impact. Moulton, age 47, had made his comparative youth a major part of his campaign against Markey, who has served in Congress for nearly 50 years and will be 86 when his Senate term ends in 2032.
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The party's progressive wing rallied behind Markey, a reliable liberal who has closely aligned with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and is known for his emphasis on combating climate change. Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) appeared together in a campaign ad for Markey.
Recent surveys had shown Markey pulling away from Moulton, who had an early edge in spending thanks in part to a nonprofit group that aired pointed ads suggesting Markey was too old to remain in Congress.
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Moulton, however, was a rare candidate to mount a generational change challenge from the party's center. While not an avowed centrist, Moulton is generally skeptical of the party's far left and questioned whether Democrats' stance in support of allowing transgender children to play sports cost the party the 2024 presidential election.
Markey and his allies pounced on those comments, using them to question whether Moulton would reliably stand up for progressive principles.
Markey is set to face Republican John Deaton, an attorney closely associated with the cryptocurrency industry, in November. The race is considered safely Democratic.
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