Standing before a room of longtime supporters in his hometown, U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton leaned heavily on his underdog roots and called for generational change as he mounts a primary challenge to incumbent Sen. Ed Markey.
The gathering, organized by early backers who helped launch Moulton’s first campaign more than a decade ago, doubled as both a reunion and a campaign stop for his latest bid.
“We have been working together to support Seth’s campaign since he challenged the status quo and an entrenched incumbent Democrat in 2014,” Christine Nuccio of Marblehead said. “Many of us here went door-to-door and stood outside grocery stores collecting signatures to get Seth on the ballot.”
Beating the odds
Moulton, who first won office by defeating then-U.S. Rep. John Tierney, revisited that race as a blueprint for his current campaign.
“When we got that first poll back, I was only 53 points behind,” Moulton said to laughs from the crowd. “If you don’t know much about politics, that’s not very good. We had a lot of ground to make up. My pollsters told me it was statistically impossible to win. But because of the hard work of an amazing team… and an extraordinary network of volunteers… we pulled it off.”
That theme — running against the establishment — anchored much of his remarks.
“A lot of people do feel left out of our political establishment right now… and feel left behind by the Democratic establishment in Washington,” he said. “More than seven out of every 10 Democrats in Massachusetts do not like the political establishment in the Democratic party.”
Framing the race as a moment for change, Moulton said, “I just don’t think we can afford to wait six more years for new leadership in our Commonwealth or our country or our party.”
While he praised Markey’s tenure, he argued the time has come for a transition.
“We ought to honor that service… but say there comes a time to pass the torch, pass the torch to the next generation,” he said.
Moulton acknowledged his opponent is leading in the polls right now.
“Yes, Ed Markey has a head start. When I was an embryo, he was shaking hands, so he had a head start getting to know people all across Massachusetts, and you see that reflected in the initial polling today. But all the movement is in our direction,” he said.
Iran, immigration and more
During a wide-ranging question-and-answer session, Moulton touched on issues from foreign policy to artificial intelligence. He also highlighted his legislative record, including the creation of the 988 mental health hotline. He said in its first year, the number of calls to 988 was 50% higher than the previous suicide number. Texts to 988 were 1450% higher.
“That’s an amazing measure of the number of young people who are using the service. That’s why this work matters,” he said. “That’s why you have to have people in the Senate who get things done.”
Moulton spoke about his opposition to the war in Iran.
“Democrats talk a lot about how this war is illegal, but let me be clear, the war is not only illegal, it is dumb, because it’s actually giving Iran more levers than they had before… Every other administration in the last 50 years has prevented Iran from getting a nuclear weapon without starting a war.”
Asked by the Current if he’s elected what success will look like by the end of his first term, Moulton said, “Democrats will be back in power in the House and Senate. We need an agenda that is not just resistance. I want to get back to a Democratic party that leads.”
As for specific policy proposals, Moulton said ICE should be prosecuted and Democrats should pursue an immigration policy that “incentivizes people to come here legally. We also need a pathway to citizenship.”
Looking forward, Moulton framed the primary — set for Sept. 1 — as consequential beyond Massachusetts.
“This is a referendum on the future of the Democratic Party,” he said. “Are we going to stick with the establishment of the status quo, or are we going to lead?”
He closed by urging supporters to reengage as they did in 2014.
“This really is going well,” Moulton said. “I’m excited because it matters… so if you’re not signed up yet… get involved… we’re gonna win this.”
