Markey defeats Moulton in Massachusetts Democratic primary

Senator Ed Markey secured a decisive victory in the Massachusetts Democratic primary on September 2, 2026, defeating Representative Seth Moulton by nearly 30 percentage points in a race that centered on the party's stance on transgender rights. The incumbent senator, who is 80, won approximately 64.8 percent of the vote to Moulton's 25.2 percent, according to the Associated Press, with over 98 percent of the expected vote reported. The result was a resounding rejection of Moulton's campaign strategy, which had included questioning the party's defense of transgender athletes. The primary contest became a national referendum on Democratic values following the 2024 presidential election. After former Vice President Kamala Harris's loss to Donald Trump, Moulton publicly suggested the party should recalibrate its approach on social issues. In a November 2024 interview with The New York Times, he stated, "I have two little girls, I don't want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete.