Officially the Seth-iest man in the race. (still via YouTube/Moulton campaign)

For the second time in as many reelections, Senator Ed Markey faces a rival from Massachusetts’s House delegation. Salem Congressman Seth Moulton announced Wednesday morning he is challenging Markey for their party’s nomination. Famous names—and, hopefully, global health crises—aside, the race has echoes of the one from six years ago when a younger colleague also challenged Markey.

Moulton, however, is not former Representative Joe Kennedy, III. In his favor, Moulton has dethroned an incumbent in a primary before. Complicating his bid is Markey’s strong position, even in comparison to 2020. Plus, Moulton has not always endeared himself to his fellow Democrats and may have to lean heavily on the need for change to convince primary voters to abandon Markey next year.

In his announcement video, Moulton went there and essentially argued that Markey had been in office too long. Although he called Markey “a good man,” the congressman said it was time for a new generation to tackle the challenge Donald Trump presents. By alluding to last year’s election, Moulton all but evoked the age issue that ultimately ended the campaign of former President Joe Biden last year and perhaps contributed to Trump’s return.

“I just don’t believe Senator Markey should be running for another six-year term at 80 years old,” Moulton says in the video. “Even more, I don’t think someone who’s been in Congress for half a century is the right person to meet this moment.”

In addition to his narration, the video features a first-person perspective of Moulton at home and out running as well as the view of a lobsterman and doctor.

Markey, who turned 79 this year, will be 86 if he serves another full six-year term. Moulton will turn 47 this month.

Moulton has muscled out a denizen of this building before. (WMP&I)

Moulton, a former marine, defeated Congressman John Tierney in 2014. Tierney had faced scandal—at least the proximity to it—for a cycle or two, leaving him vulnerable.

In Congress, Moulton has championed several issues pertaining to veterans and foreign affairs. He has also championed infrastructure like rail. (Markey has sponsored his own legislation to vastly expand passenger rail in the US.)

Agitating against elder pols’ hold on power is not exactly new for Moulton. He tried to upend Nancy Pelosi’s return to the speakership after Democrats won the House in 2018. Shortly thereafter, he launched a longshot bid for president. While the 2020 Democratic primary had its share of younger aspirants, Boomers and older Gen-Xers were plentiful in that race.

However, Moulton had upset many Democrats when he appeared to suggest that the party needed to throw trans people under the bus. It was less the substance of his point than the language he used, which seemed to echo that of transphobes. Moulton has since argued, including in a Boston Globe interview published Wednesday, that he meant Democrats needed to fight to establish the terms of the debate or Republicans would.

Moulton did oppose a major transphobic bill the GOP passed in January. Still, once Trump came back to office, his administration has employed eliminationist rhetoric and tactics to attack and even purge transgender individuals from American life. These events will undoubtedly shine a spotlight on Moulton’s remarks. Massachusetts has some of the nation’s strongest transgender civil rights protections.

Plus, there is the fact that Markey has, in many ways, firmer support than in 2020. While the senator ultimately beat back Kennedy and then some, he was not in an ideal position this time six years ago. Many electeds were willing to hear Kennedy out and some prominent voices in Western Mass were sold on the challenger.

After kicking off the 2026 cycle with an endorsement from Senator Elizabeth Warren, Markey racked up a string of regional elected and labor nods. Among those in the 413 were Springfield Congressman Richard Neal and Worcester Congressman James McGovern, who also represents part of Western Mass.

Markey in 2019. Six years later, he seems even stronger, age notwithstanding. (WMP&I)

This time, many of those pols that picked Markey over Kennedy have already come out for Markey. For example, Springfield State Senator Adam Gomez and former State Senator Eric Lesser—both backed Kennedy in 2020. (Lesser’s successor, Jake Oliveira, has also backed Markey.) Gomez and Lesser’s support likely contributed to Kennedy’s strong showing in urban Hampden County. This time, they are both with Markey, along with reps for nearly all of the 413’s population centers.

In a statement to The Globe, Markey’s campaign manager knocked Moulton for announcing during the federal shutdown and said Markey was doing his job: voting against Trump’s agenda and working to reopen the government.

Markey has been anticipating attack lines like Moulton’s for some time. For years now, the senator has deflected age concerns by saying what matters is “the age of your ideas.” This will likely become more prominent as Moulton seemingly centers his bid on generational change.

The senator’s advantages already seemingly discouraged another congressman from running. Newton Representative Jake Auchincloss, who took the seat Kennedy vacated to run for Senate, announced last month he would not challenge Markey after months of speculation.

For now, Moulton is the only major opponent Markey has in the primary. Educator Alex Rikleen has been running for some time, but likely presents less of a threat than Moulton can. Boston Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley has notably not endorsed Markey yet, leading to buzz she could still jump in. However, the clock is ticking.

Massachusetts Democrats will begin to hold caucuses early next year to elect delegates to the state convention. To appear on the primary ballot, statewide candidates need to secure at least 15% of delegates. Now is the time to begin lining up registered Democrats for that event next spring.