DEDHAM, Mass. — Incumbent Sen. Ed Markey and challenger Rep. Seth Moulton are both projecting confidence after facing off in aDemocratic U.S. Senate debateco-hosted by Boston 25 News and GBH on Monday night.
The candidates, competing for the Democratic nomination in Massachusetts’ closely watched Senate primary,spent the evening outlining their visions for the state and the country while highlighting key differences in their approaches to major issues.
Throughout the debate, Markey and Moulton addressed a wide range of topics affecting Massachusetts residents, including housing affordability, healthcare, education, immigration policy, energy costs, artificial intelligence regulation, and foreign policy, including the ongoing conflict involving Iran.
Despite both candidates describing themselves as progressive Democrats, each sought to convince voters that they are best positioned to represent Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate.
The debate also featured several sharp exchanges as the candidates challenged one another on issues ranging from leadership and experience to policy records and campaign claims.
One of Moulton’s key lines of attack focused on Markey’s age and the need for new leadership in Washington. Markey, 80, pushed back, arguing that a person’s age should not determine when they step aside from public service.
“What are you going to accomplish in the next 6 years that you haven’t already been able to accomplish in the last 15?” the 47-year-old Moulton asked.
Markey responded, “Any public official should step down if they cannot serve.”
There were also several explosive claims, including one related to disgraced financier and convicted sex offenderJeffrey Epstein.
“In the newly released Epstein files, your name appears repeatedly. And I’m not going to go into all the details,” Moulton said during an open topic portion of the debate. “But I just want to ask one question, and I ask it from the perspective of a father with two young girls at home. Why would you even take a meeting with a lobbyist on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein? How could you do that long after he was convicted?”
Markey fired back, denying any involvement with Epstein.
“What you are doing right now is absolutely reprehensible. I have never met Jeffrey Epstein. I don’t know Jeffrey Epstein,” Markey said. “I have been calling for the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein since Day 1 at 8 a.m. The predatory practices, which he engaged in, targeting young girls, are absolutely reprehensible, as is what you’re doing right now.”
Markey later alleged that Moulton has received more than $350,000 in corporate back money for his Senate campaign, alleging the congressman representing Massachusetts’s 6th congressional district is running as a “corporate democrat.”
Moulton called the allegation “patently false.”
Following the debate, both candidates said they felt good about their performances and used the opportunity to deliver final messages to voters ahead of the upcoming primary election.
