Ed Markey and Seth Moulton Clash in Final Senate Debate

U.S. Senator Ed Markey and U.S. Representative Seth Moulton held their third and final debate on Thursday night at the WCVB studio in Newton. The candidates focused heavily on generational leadership as they compete in the September 1 Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts.

Moulton, 47, argued that the 80-year-old Markey is out of touch with modern technology. He specifically cited Markey's inability to distinguish between AI platforms Siri and Claude as a potentially disqualifying trait for someone tasked with regulating the industry. Markey responded by defending his progressive record and his capacity to continue serving, citing endorsements from Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The candidates diverged on healthcare and social issues. Markey advocated for Medicare for All and accused Moulton of treating transgender youth as political fodder. Moulton countered that Markey's previous efforts were not enough. Despite these clashes, both candidates found common ground in their opposition to the Trump administration, their support for abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, and their desire to end the war in Iran.

Markey enters the primary with a double-digit lead in recent polling. The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican candidate John Deaton in the general election.