Sign of things to come? Mass. Rep. Moulton leads Sen. Ed Markey in new poll
He's not even a declared candidate, but U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton leads U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., signaling that Bay State Democrats could be looking to change horses in 2026.
Moulton, D-6th District, who's reportedly considering a 2026 primary challenge against Markey next year, led the Malden lawmaker 42.9% to 21% among all voters in the poll released Wednesday by the business-friendly Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance Foundation.
Moulton held a narrower 38%-30% advantage among the poll's 278 Democratic respondents.
Gov. Maura Healey similarly led two of her declared Republican challengers next year.
Among all respondents, the Arlington Democrat led GOP hopeful Mike Kennealy 44.9% to 34.1%, with 20% still undecided. She held a 46%-31.3% edge over Brian Shortsleeve, with 22% undecided.
Both Kennealy and Shortsleeve were cabinet officials under GOP Gov. Charlie Baker. The poll was conducted before businessman and MAGA mega-donor Michael Minogue jumped into the Republican nominating race on Wednesday.
Speculation about whether Moulton, of Salem, would mount a primary bid against Markey has intensified in recent weeks.
It reached a crescendo after another rumored candidate, U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-4th District, announced he was sitting out the 2026 campaign to focus on his reelection and helping Democrats retake the majority on their side of Capitol Hill.
U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, also has been frequently mentioned as a potential 2026 primary candidate.
But in an email exchange with the political newsletter MASSterList, she didn't confirm a candidacy. Nor did she rule it out.
"I'm focused on what's going on in front of me," the Boston Democrat said. "I'll just say this: Senator Markey and I have long enjoyed a very productive relationship.
The poll showed Pressley trailing Markey 34% to 29% among all respondents. She was in a statistical dead heat among Democrats, leading 37%-34%, the poll showed.
While he remains broadly popular, Markey, 79, has faced questions about his age. He would be 80 by Election Day, and 86, if he serves out his third, six-year term in the Senate.
Forty-six percent of Democratic respondents to the poll said they believed Markey should not seek reelection to the Senate, compared to 35% who said he should run again.
The poll of 750 likely voters was conducted from Sept. 23 to Sept. 24. It had a margin of error of 3.6%.
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