By Nolan D. McCaskill
WASHINGTON, Sept 1 (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts won renomination on Tuesday, according to U.S. media, as Democratic voters favored the 80-year-old progressive over 47-year-old Seth Moulton, a moderate U.S. representative who ran on generational change.
Markey, who has served in Congress for nearly 50 years, was backed by leading progressives such as Senator Bernie Sanders and U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as well as most members of the state's congressional delegation, including U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren.
No members of the delegation had endorsed Moulton, a moderate U.S. Marine Corps veteran whose supporters included New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and the Democratic organization VoteVets. The Boston Globe's editorial board was also behind Moulton, casting him as a necessary agent of change with "proven leadership skills" and positions on key issues that align with most voters.
Markey had a nearly $2 million fundraising advantage over Moulton and led in recent polls by a double-digit margin. He is heavily favored to win in November. Democrat Kamala Harris carried the state by nearly 25 percentage points in 2024.
Democratic voters across the country this year have often backed younger, more progressive candidates, leading to the ouster of incumbents in primaries in New York, Colorado and Michigan, although in Massachusetts it is the long-serving Senate incumbent who is considered more progressive.
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A more typical generational challenge is playing out in the Boston area, where moderate U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch, 71, is facing progressive attorney Patrick Roath, 39.
The Boston Globe's editorial board endorsed Roath, writing that the younger candidate "gives every indication he can do better, think bigger, and aim higher as a member of Congress" than Lynch.
Roath has outraised Lynch, $1.3 million to $910,000, and he has closed in on the incumbent in polling. A survey conducted for Leaders We Deserve, a group that has endorsed Roath, found Lynch's lead had fallen to seven percentage points. A February poll conducted for Roath showed him trailing Lynch by 26 points. Lynch was reelected in 2024 by a 50-point margin.
Democrats hold all nine Massachusetts House seats and both Senate seats. The winner of the 8th Congressional District primary will be heavily favored to win in November.
(Reporting by Nolan D. McCaskill; Editing by Michael Learmonth, Alistair Bell and Edmund Klamann)
