MA State Primary 2026: Markey Repels Moulton, Minogue To Face Healey

Updated 11 p.m.

Early results led to a quick call in the Massachusetts state primary's most high-profile race on Tuesday, with U.S. Sen. Ed Markey fending off a Democratic Party challenge from U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton with ease.

The Associated Press called the race for Markey at 8:31 p.m., with Markey holding a three-to-one vote lead over Moulton, with about 2 percent of the vote counted statewide.

Markey settled into a two-to-one lead on Moulton at 65 percent-to-35 percent with about 25 percent of the vote counted as of 10 p.m.

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"Tonight is a testament to the Progressive movement of our nation," Markey said in his victory speech. "It is a Progressive moment fueled by young people demanding more from their leaders. And it's your voices that are the ones we need to hear right now. Your leadership will show us the way.

"Young people are leading us to a better future."

Markey will face Republican candidate John Deaton on Nov. 3.

In another key battle, North Shore businessman and U.S. Army veteran Mike Minogue topped for MBTA Chief Brian Shortsleeve for the Republican nomination for governor.

Minogue will face Gov. Maura Healey for the state's top office in November.

"Hard-working families are falling behind while the political establishment keeps taking care of itself," Minogue said in his acceptance speech. "They've built a system that spends more, taxes more, and asks working people to carry more, while their friends and insiders get the breaks.

"Tonight, we sent a message: those days are over."

• MA 2026 Gubernatorial Primary Live Results: AP Calls Race For Minogue

Boston lawyer and former Obama aide Patrick Roath was challenging U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch for the Democratic Party nod in the 8th Congressional District, with Roath holding a slim, early lead before Lynch pulled ahead as the vote tally mounted.

Lynch was on his way to an apparent victory as of 11 p.m. as his lead grew to 15 percentage points.

The race to replace Moulton in the 6th Congressional District on the North Shore and Merrimack Valley also drew a crowded field of Democrats with former Biden official and Andover Select Board member Dan Koh, State Rep. Tram Nguyen of Andover, Lynnfield businessman John Beccia, Salem veterinarian and activist Mariah Lancaster, Middleton software engineer and Democratic Socialist Bethany Anders-Beck and former State Rep. and Topsfield town moderator Jamie Belsito also running for the Democratic nomination.

Koh emerged with the victory as the Associated Press called the race for him at about 10:30 p.m. Koh stood at 42 percent of the vote, and Nguyen second at 30 percent with Beccia third at 12 percent, with 62 percent of the votes counted.

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The winner of that race will face Republican attorney and U.S. Army veteran Micah Q. Jones, of Essex, in November.

U.S. Reps. Katherine Clark, Bill Keating and Jake Auchincloss all easily held off party challenges in the Democratic races for Congress on Tuesday.

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