{"id":2653416,"date":"2026-09-02T06:44:01","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T10:44:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ed-markeys-big-primary-win-shows-democrats-choose-leftism-over-youth\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T06:47:37","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T10:47:37","slug":"ed-markeys-big-primary-win-shows-democrats-choose-leftism-over-youth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ed-markeys-big-primary-win-shows-democrats-choose-leftism-over-youth\/","title":{"rendered":"Ed Markey&#8217;s big primary win shows Democrats choose leftism over youth"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fed-markeys-big-primary-win-shows-democrats-choose-leftism-over-youth%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2653416&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses ongoing ideological battles within the Democratic party, highlighting that the party&#8217;s internal conflicts are driven more by differences in beliefs than by generational shifts in leadership. It focuses on Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, who won his primary against younger challenger Seth moulton by a significant margin, emphasizing that experience and progressive stances remain influential. The race showcased the party&#8217;s broader trend of aging leadership,with figures like Markey,Chuck Schumer,and Nancy Pelosi preparing for retirement,reflecting a shift away from veteran leaders. Polls consistently favored Markey, and endorsements from progressive figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez underscored his liberal voting record. Conversely, Moulton, representing the moderate wing and critical of leftist moves like those of Bernie Sanders, failed to gain ground, exemplifying the ideological divides within Democratic candidates. The primary results underscored that internal party battles are more about ideological alignment than age or seniority, illustrating the ongoing shift in Democratic leadership and priorities.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/4708980\/democratic-leadership-exploring-repercussions-gluesenkamp-perez-golden\/\">infighting inside<\/a> the Democratic Party is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4708607\/jeffries-blindsided-two-house-democrats-join-gop-force-vote-denouncing-socialism\/\">more about ideology<\/a> than a generational change in leadership.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s one key takeaway from Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ed-markey\/\">Ed Markey<\/a> (D-MA), 80, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4706948\/ed-markey-massachusetts-senate-primary-seth-moulton\/\">winning his primary in a landslide<\/a> over 47-year-old Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/seth-moulton\/\">Seth Moulton<\/a> (D-MA).<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4709133\/ed-markeys-big-primary-win-shows-democrats-choose-leftism-over-youth\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Ed Markey\u2019s big primary win shows Democrats choose leftism over youth<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4708688\/republicans-ignore-rfk-jr-backlash-2026-maha-turnout\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Republicans embrace RFK Jr. \u2014 and his baggage \u2014 in bid for MAHA turnout<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4706948\/ed-markey-massachusetts-senate-primary-seth-moulton\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Ed Markey survives Massachusetts Senate primary challenge from Seth Moulton<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race was called barely a half hour after the polls closed in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/seth-moulton\/\">Massachusetts<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Markey was first elected to Congress nearly two years before the middle-aged Moulton, who turns 48 in October, was born. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A pro-Moulton super PAC <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/AdvProg26\/status\/2061791188533841943\">ran an ad<\/a> starring Michael Connolly, the longtime former Massachusetts secretary of state who served from 1979 to 1994. He and Markey were both seated in the Massachusetts state legislature back in 1973.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEd Markey and I got into politics together more than 50 years ago,\u201d Connolly said, looking into the camera. \u201cWe served in the State House. I was proud when he got elected to Congress [in 1976]. But it\u2019s time for the next generation to lead.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou\u2019ve got to know when to pass the torch,\u201d Connolly continued in his Boston accent. \u201cPart of serving is knowing when to step aside. That\u2019s why I retired.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Connolly called Markey \u201ca friend,\u201d but added it was \u201ctime to move on.\u201d He then concluded, \u201cPeople shouldn\u2019t stay in Washington too long. It\u2019s bad for your health!\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The ad highlighted that Markey was among the last of his and Connolly\u2019s generation of Democratic leaders still in public office. Markey became the longest-serving member of the commonwealth\u2019s congressional delegation from either chamber when longtime Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ted-kennedy\/\">Ted Kennedy <\/a>died in 2009. Markey was elected to the Senate after <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-kerry\/\">John Kerry<\/a> vacated the seat to become secretary of state under then-President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/barack-obama\/\">Barack Obama<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Markey, who was more progressive than Moulton was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4704764\/seth-moulton-age-ed-markey-massachusetts-senate\/\">able to defend his liberal voting record<\/a> throughout the campaign, trounced Moulton by more than 30 points in a year when many incumbents in both parties, especially Democrats, have been sent packing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Democrats are also still grappling with the legacy of octogenarian former President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\">Joe Biden<\/a>, whose age and ability to serve came to a head after a disastrous debate performance, forcing him to abandon his 2024 reelection bid and leading to President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump\u2019s<\/a> return to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house\/\">White House<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The party has slowly turned away from an aging leadership team, with 75-year-old Senate Minority Leader <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/chuck-schumer\/\">Chuck Schumer<\/a> (D-NY) among the last hanging on. Former House Speaker <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/nancy-pelosi\/\">Nancy Pelosi <\/a>(D-CA), who remained a powerful figure after stepping down as Democratic leader in the chamber and helped push Biden aside, is retiring from Congress at the end of her term.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nevertheless, Tuesday night\u2019s result wasn\u2019t a surprise even if it took a while to build to the final margin of victory. Markey consistently <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/senate\/democratic-primary\/2026\/massachusetts\">led in the major public polls<\/a> dating back to late last year, but a <em>Boston Globe<\/em>-Suffolk University poll in August gave him a 14-point advantage. But in the rest of the polls last month found Markey with an edge ranging from 28 to 35 points, including Emerson, which had the incumbent just 5 points up in May but up 30 points by late August.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Rep. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/alexandria-ocasio-cortez\/\">Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez<\/a> (D-NY) was among the progressives who <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4694506\/ocasio-cortez-endorses-massachusetts-senate-incumbent-ed-markey-green-new-deal\/\">endorsed Markey<\/a>, rather than his challenger.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moulton wasn\u2019t part of the socialist uprising that has been toppling Democrats in recent primaries. Instead, the New Democrat caucus member <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/world\/us-politics\/democratic-2020-candidate-moulton-says-sanders-warren-too-liberal-to-beat-trump-idUSKCN1S309T\/\">criticized<\/a> Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) for wanting to change the party and country. As a low-polling candidate for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, he said Sanders and fellow Bay Stater Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/elizabeth-warren\/\">Elizabeth Warren<\/a> (D-MA) were too liberal to defeat Trump.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe can\u2019t go too far left or we will lose middle America,\u201d Moulton warned in 2019 shortly after declaring his candidacy. He said punishing the rich was \u201cun-American.\u201d His campaign went nowhere, but such admonitions helped Biden beat Sanders and Warren in the primaries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4677479\/democratic-party-big-tent-messaging-ideological-differences-2026-elections\/\"><strong>DEMOCRATS FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF PARTY ALL RALLY BEHIND \u2018BIG TENT\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this Senate race, Moulton was seen as being closer than Markey to Biden in everything but age. Markey ran to the left on Israel and biological males in women\u2019s sports. The incumbent long championed the Green New Deal. \u201cWhat ever happened to the young, exciting moderate Democrats?\u201d a <em>New York Times<\/em> op-ed writer <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/08\/27\/opinion\/democrats-seth-moulton-massachusetts-senate.html\">asked<\/a> in part about Moulton less than a week before the primary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The answer in this case was a lopsided defeat, as the Massachusetts Senate primary and many of the battles inside today\u2019s Democratic Party turned on ideology more than age or length of government service.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Party infighting centers on ideology, not age, says Markey win<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2659,"featured_media":2653417,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Ed-MArkey-Summer-2024-scaled.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[3685,65257,55043,36770],"class_list":["post-2653416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-democrats","tag-ed-markey","tag-leftism-2","tag-primary-victory"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Ed-MArkey-Summer-2024-scaled.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2653416","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2653416"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2653416\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2653420,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2653416\/revisions\/2653420"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2653417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2653416"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2653416"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2653416"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}