Ocasio-Cortez endorses Massachusetts Senate incumbent Ed Markey

Markey, who has served in Congress since the Gerald Ford administration, is seeking another term in the Senate. Ocasio-Cortez’s endorsement could provide a boost to the longtime senator as he fends off Moulton, 47, who has campaigned on generational change and presented himself as a more centrist alternative.“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.” Markey and Ocasio-Cortez first introduced the Green New Deal in 2019, proposing a sweeping national effort to address climate change.Markey thanked Ocasio-Cortez for her endorsement, saying, “She’s got vision, she knows what’s at stake, and she never backs down.”Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA). (Getty Images) The race has been shaped by a contentious debate over transgender athletes. Moulton drew national attention following the 2024 election, when he said he was concerned about his daughters “getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete,” adding that he felt Democrats were afraid to discuss the issue.Moulton has secured endorsements from several prominent Democrats, including New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) and Reps. Derek Tran (D-CA), Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), and Pat Ryan (D-NY).GENERATIONAL FIGHT IN BUDDING MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRATIC SENATE PRIMARYThe candidates will face off in their final debate Thursday evening, just days before the Sept. 1 primary.August polling showed Markey with a 28-point lead over Moulton. Other polls conducted in recent months have shown Moulton trailing by between 5 and 17 points.