Massachusetts Primaries Test Democratic Old Guard Against Rising Progressives

September has arrived, and even with the general election roughly two months out, primary battles still matter. In Massachusetts, longtime Democratic officeholders are now defending their seats against younger challengers who want to bring new energy into the party.

One of the biggest fights is the Senate race. Senator Ed Markey, who is 80, is trying to hold off a primary challenge from Representative Seth Moulton, who is 47. Markey has been in this position before. Back in 2020, he beat Representative Joe Kennedy III, who was more than 30 years younger, by 11 points. That race was helped by voters who had college degrees, a group that backed Markey. Moulton, though, thinks the political mood has shifted. He points to President Donald Trump’s 2024 win as proof that voters want change. Markey is counting on the same progressive energy that has powered other primary winners this year.

Down in the 8th District, Representative Stephen Lynch, who is 71, is running for his 14th term in Congress. His challenger is Patrick Roath, a 39-year-old who used to work for former Governor Deval Patrick. Roath is pushing Lynch from the left side of the party and has raised and spent more money on advertising. Lynch has annoyed progressives over the years. He broke with most of his party on the Affordable Care Act vote and more recently supported the Laken Riley Act, which deals with immigration detention.

In the 1st District, Representative Richard Neal, who is 77, also faces a progressive challenger. His opponent is Jeromie Whalen, a 39-year-old high school teacher. Neal sits at the top of the House Ways and Means Committee and first won his seat in 1988. These races show a bigger story playing out in the Democratic Party, where older leaders are being tested by a new wave of candidates who think it is time for a generational shift. Voters across Massachusetts will soon decide how much they want that change.