Marblehead native and U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton and Sen. Ed Markey sparred Monday night over age, leadership, foreign policy and the future of the Democratic Party in a contentious debate with the rivals repeatedly accusing each other of misleading voters and abandoning core Democratic values.
The hourlong debate, hosted by GBH News and Boston 25, came less than a month before the Sept. 1 Democratic primary and highlighted the central contrast in the race: Markey’s argument that his decades of progressive leadership remain essential in Washington versus Moulton’s call for a new generation of Democratic leaders.
Moulton, who has represented Massachusetts’ 6th Congressional District since 2015, returned to the message that has defined his campaign.
“We need a new generation of leadership,” Moulton said, arguing that Democrats cannot continue relying on longtime incumbents to lead the party.
Markey, 80, rejected the suggestion that age should determine whether someone remains in office.
“It’s not your age, it’s the age of your ideas. And in this race, I’m the youngest guy,” Markey said, echoing a line that has become a staple of his campaign.
The candidates clashed repeatedly over national security and the conflict involving Iran.
Markey accused Moulton of supporting legislation that helped fund military operations, while Moulton countered that the senator was distorting his voting record. Both said they oppose continued war with Iran and favor renewed diplomacy.
One of the sharpest exchanges came during a discussion of transgender rights, an issue that has divided the candidates throughout the campaign.
Markey again criticized comments Moulton made after the 2024 election regarding transgender athletes, saying “After the 2024 election, Congressman Moulton decided that he was gonna throw trans kids under the bus — the political bus.”
Moulton responded that he fully supports transgender rights but believes Democrats must be willing to discuss politically difficult issues honestly.
Moulton added: “To the trans community feeling the weight and the pain of the Trump administration policies. I deeply recognize your trauma, and I’m sorry if my comments hurt you.”
The debate also featured a heated exchange over financial ethics and family investments.
When Markey questioned his opponent’s financial holdings, Moulton pushed back forcefully.
“These attacks are false; they are just not true. We have followed every law and ethics rule above and beyond. Every time Sen. Markey implies these investments are due to my job and not my wife’s success, that’s not only wrong, it’s sexist.”
Perhaps the night’s most unexpected moment came when Moulton questioned Markey about recently released Jeffrey Epstein files after the topic was introduced during a candidate-to-candidate questioning segment. Moulton said Markey’s name appears multiple times in the files.
Markey denied any wrongdoing and said his name appeared only because of official congressional matters, calling any suggestion otherwise misleading and “reprehensible.”
Despite the personal attacks, the candidates remained closely aligned on many Democratic priorities, including support for abortion rights, action on climate change and expanding access to health care. The debate instead underscored differences in leadership style, political strategy and how each believes Democrats should respond after losing the White House in 2024.
Monday’s debate was the second of three scheduled meetings between the candidates before the Sept. 1 primary. A final debate is scheduled for Aug. 20.
