Overview
- Ed Markey remains the clear frontrunner in recent polls and rallied progressive heavyweights in Dorchester on Aug. 29 to shore up turnout and highlight his record.
- Rep. Seth Moulton is running on a message of generational change and won The Boston Globe’s endorsement while making a final appeal to younger and swing voters.
- Polls show Markey leading by wide margins but also record a sizable share of voters—about 43% in one poll—who doubt his physical or mental capacity to complete a six‑year term.
- Early voting is already underway and both campaigns have intensified door‑to‑door, media and outside‑group ad efforts with pro‑Moulton groups targeting unenrolled independents who may vote in the Democratic primary.
- The race tests intra‑party dynamics: Markey stresses decades of progressive policy work and says this will be his last run while the result will shape Democratic footing in November’s general election.