80-Year-Old Sen. Ed Markey Holds Off Younger Challenger in Democratic Primary

Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts won the Democratic primary race for his seat on Tuesday, fending off a challenge from the decades-younger Rep. Seth Moulton as he seeks another six-year term in the upper chamber.Running on a progressive platform, Markey adds to a series of primary wins including Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and Peggy Flanagan in Minnesota, suggesting an appetite among Democratic primary voters for a shift away from the center.Moulton’s campaign focused largely on affordable housing and health care. His efforts to position himself as a fresh voice in politics ultimately failed against Markey’s decades of experience.With around 96% of the ballots counted early Wednesday, Markey had 64.9% of the vote to Moulton's 35.1%. “Massachusetts needs a Senator who stands up and fights back, a Senator who never forgets who they are fighting for,” Markey told the crowd during his victory speech. “That has been the mission of my life, and it always will be.”A ‘generational showdown’Tuesday’s primary was considered by many to be a “generational showdown” between Markey, 80, and Moulton, 47.During the campaign, Moulton contended that it was time for change in the state's political repr...