Battenfeld: Ayanna Pressley the looming bigfoot in U.S. Senate race
As the 2024 U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts heats up, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley is emerging as a formidable challenger to incumbent Senator Ed Markey. Drawing parallels to her successful primary challenge against longtime Representative Michael Capuano in 2018, Pressley is positioning herself as a fresh, progressive voice in contrast to the 79-year-old Markey, who has served in Congress since the mid-1970s. Pressley’s campaign strategy is likely to echo her previous approach, focusing on themes of generational change and urgency in addressing the pressing issues facing the Democratic Party and the nation. Her past slogan, “Change Can’t Wait,” encapsulates her message that the party must evolve to effectively combat the ongoing challenges posed by the Trump administration and beyond.
Recent polling data from Suffolk University and the Boston Globe indicates that Pressley poses a significant threat to Markey’s political future. In a hypothetical three-way Democratic primary that also includes Representative Seth Moulton, Pressley and Markey are virtually tied, each capturing just over one-third of the vote, while Moulton lags behind by double digits. This suggests that Pressley’s appeal resonates strongly with liberal Democratic voters, particularly in the Boston area, where her progressive stances may attract support. However, the decision to challenge Markey is not without risks; Pressley would have to relinquish her safe House seat, and there are concerns about her ability to broaden her appeal beyond her predominantly liberal district.
Pressley’s potential candidacy carries historic implications as she could become the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts, adding a significant milestone to her campaign narrative. The political landscape is further complicated by the loyalties of influential Democratic figures, including Senator Elizabeth Warren and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, both of whom may play pivotal roles in shaping the dynamics of the primary race. As Pressley weighs her options, the backing of progressive political groups and women’s organizations could provide her with the necessary momentum to challenge Markey effectively. With the 2024 election looming and the Democratic Party at a crossroads, Pressley’s decision to run could redefine the future of Massachusetts politics and the broader Democratic agenda.
Ayanna Pressley is the looming bigfoot in next year’s U.S. Senate race, capable of booting out incumbent Ed Markey the same way she toppled longtime Rep. Michael Capuano in a Democratic primary challenge.
If she follows the same playbook she used on Somerville’s Capuano in 2018, Rep. Pressley will depict Markey as old and stale and herself as part of a wave of younger, fresher and more aggressive Democrats willing to take on President Donald Trump. Her campaign slogan then was “Change Can’t Wait.”
“This is a fight for the soul of our party, and the future of our democracy, at a time when our country is at a crossroads,” Pressley said on election night when she won Massachusetts’ 7th congressional district.
That exact same message could resonate with liberal Democratic primary voters next year when Markey’s seat is up for grabs in a potential three-way Democratic primary.
Trump is still the president and Democrats are fighting to win back the House from Republicans in the 2026 mid-term election.
A new Suffolk University-Boston Globe poll confirms that Pressley, the most far-left member of the Massachusetts delegation, is a serious threat to the 79-year-old Markey’s political survival.
In a three-way matchup that includes Rep. Seth Moulton, who has already launched his Senate candidacy, Pressley and Markey are in a dead heat with just over one-third of the Democratic primary vote.
Moulton trails by double digits in third place and the poll of Democratic primary voters suggests he’s not the real problem for Markey – it’s Pressley who is capable of pulling the final curtain over the incumbent’s long career in Congress, which began in the mid-1970s.
Running against Markey would be a big risk for Pressley, who represents parts of Boston and surrounding communities, because she would have to give up her safe House seat.
It’s also unclear whether she’d play statewide out of her liberal district. Pressley has taken a number of extreme positions that could turn off more moderate Democrats. The Suffolk poll showed she takes voters from Markey mostly in the Boston area.
But would Pressley decide to wait four years when Sen. Elizabeth Warren retires? Her past actions and words suggest she would take the plunge next year and go after Markey.
“What do you expect me to do, wait?” Pressley said in 2018 when asked why she was attempting to knock off Capuano.
Pressley has notably not knocked down reports that she is considering running against Markey and Moulton, and a number of factors could tip the balance in favor of a Senate candidacy next year.
The Democratic primary electorate in Massachusetts is still overwhelmingly liberal and anti-Trump, which could help Pressley, a part of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s “squad.”
Pressley also would be the first Black woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts, a historic feat that makes her candidacy unique.
And if Markey thinks he is invincible because he defeated a Kennedy six years ago, he should think again. Pressley is no Joe Kennedy III.
Kennedy, then a congressman, often struggled to say why he was running against Markey. The 51-year-old Pressley is no shrinking violet and will have no trouble telling voters why they should back her over Markey and Moulton.
Age will also be a big factor helping Pressley. Markey looks old and tired in his YouTube videos, while Pressley looks bolder and more vibrant.
A big question is what progressive political groups with a lot of campaign money will do if Pressley takes the plunge. Will they abandon Markey for her?
Women’s groups like Emily’s List and minority groups are likely to back Pressley, which could give her momentum.
A Markey-Pressley-Moulton race would also test the loyalties of a number of Democratic pols. What about Warren? She has endorsed Markey in the past but would she still back him if Pressley is in the race? Or would she sit it out?
And what would Boston Mayor Michelle Wu do? Wu is close to Pressley – they both served on the Boston City Council together – and there’s a good chance she could throw her endorsement to the congresswoman.
Matt Stone/Boston Herald
Salem Rep. Seth Moulton (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)
