Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) picked up a major progressive endorsement Thursday as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) threw her support behind his reelection bid, giving the 80-year-old incumbent a boost in a competitive primary against Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.).
Ocasio-Cortez, a leading voice of the party's left wing, cited Markey's legislative record on affordability and clean energy, particularly their joint authorship of the Green New Deal, as key reasons for her endorsement. In a statement, she framed the race as a fight against corporate influence in politics.
“At a time when powerful special interests are making life harder for everyday Americans, Massachusetts working families need a champion in the U.S. Senate to stand up for them and fight corporate greed,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Ed Markey has spent his career doing exactly that, from our partnership on the Green New Deal to running his campaign without accepting a dime of corporate PAC money.”
The endorsement arrives just days before the Sept. 1 primary, which has become a proxy battle over the Democratic Party's direction. Moulton, 41, has cast himself as a candidate for generational change, arguing that the party needs fresh leadership. Markey has pushed back, insisting that his experience is not at odds with progressive transformation.
Markey's campaign has also been boosted by support from prominent progressives, including Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Warren, who represents Massachusetts, has campaigned alongside Markey, underscoring the establishment-progressive coalition that has formed around him.
The incumbent senator thanked Ocasio-Cortez for her endorsement in a statement Thursday morning, emphasizing their shared vision. “We introduced the Green New Deal to tackle the climate crisis, lower costs, and build an economy that works for working people, not corporations and billionaires,” Markey said. “I am incredibly proud to have her endorsement and look forward to continuing to fight alongside her for the livable future we deserve.”
Moulton has not been without his own backers, though they come from a more centrist wing of the party. He has secured endorsements from Reps. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.), and Derek Tran (D-Calif.). These lawmakers have framed Moulton as a pragmatic alternative who can appeal to swing voters.
The two candidates are scheduled to face off in a final debate Thursday evening, giving them one last chance to sway undecided voters before the primary. The race has drawn national attention as a test of whether the progressive momentum seen in other primaries, such as the recent progressive upset in Florida, can translate to New England.
Political analysts note that the outcome could have broader implications for the party's internal dynamics, especially as progressive victories have energized the left in recent cycles. Markey's campaign has sought to harness that energy, while Moulton has argued that Democrats need to focus on winning over moderate voters in the general election.
With early voting already underway, the endorsement from Ocasio-Cortez could prove pivotal in mobilizing younger and more progressive voters, a demographic that was crucial to Markey's narrow victory in the 2020 primary against now-Rep. Joe Kennedy III. That race was seen as a bellwether for the party's ideological shift, and this year's contest is shaping up to be a similar test.
