The Spire

Drew Butler ‘29

Staff Writer

With autumn quickly approaching and Labor Day in the rearview mirror, the traditional start of election season has begun. On Sept. 1, 2026, Massachusetts primary voters headed to the polls to select their parties’ nominees for the Nov. 3 general election. Voters nominated candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives along with candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, the state legislature, and local county races. Massachusetts operates under a semi-closed primary system; registered Democrats and Republicans can only vote in their respective party primaries, while unaffiliated voters can pick either party primary to vote in.

The marquee race of the election was the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, featuring two-term incumbent Senator Edward Markey, an 80-year-old, and six-term Congressman Seth Moulton, a 47-year-old, who represents the state’s North Shore and parts of the Merrimack Valley. Throughout the primary campaign, Senator Markey championed his efforts to lower costs for Massachusetts families and advocated for universal healthcare for all Americans. Conversely, Congressman Moulton campaigned on a platform of generational change, arguing that it was time for a new, younger group of public servants to shape the political landscape on Capitol Hill.

In the end, Commonwealth voters overwhelmingly supported Senator Markey. According to unofficial results from the Associated Press, Markey garnered about 65 percent of the vote statewide, nearly a 2-to-1 margin over Moulton. Senator Markey carried almost every town and city throughout the state, with a few exceptions in Moulton’s home district and Boston suburbs. In Worcester, Markey defeated Moulton, earning 71 percent of the vote. During his victory speech, Markey expressed that “Massachusetts needs a senator who stands up and fights back, a senator who never forgets who they are fighting for.” Senator Markey will face Republican challenger John Deaton, who ran unopposed in the Republican primary, in November. In 2024, Deaton unsuccessfully ran for Massachusetts’ Senate seat, losing to Senator Elizabeth Warren by around 20 points.

While much attention was focused on the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate, Republicans simultaneously nominated a candidate for governor. The race pitted Michael Minogue, former president, chairman and CEO of Abiomed, a medical device and technology company, against Brian Shortsleeve, former chief administrator and acting manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. Minogue, who received the endorsement of the Massachusetts Republican Party, campaigned on lowering housing costs and cutting taxes. Shortsleeve advocated for growing jobs and bringing down energy costs.

Ultimately, Massachusetts voters handed Minogue a decisive victory. According to unofficial results from the Associated Press, Minogue secured the Republican nomination for governor with 76 percent of the vote. Minogue carried nearly every town and city throughout the Commonwealth, with a few exceptions of small towns in Western Massachusetts. In Worcester, Minogue received 71 percent of the vote. In his victory speech, Minogue remarked: “hard-working families are falling behind while the political establishment keeps taking care of itself.” Minogue is slated to face off against incumbent one-term Governor Maura Healey, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, later this fall.

Despite the state’s strong Democratic lean in federal and state elections, both Republican candidates, John Deaton and Mike Minogue, are polling closer to their Democratic opponents than President Trump did to then-Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. According to 2024 official results from the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Trump lost the state by roughly 25 points. According to a recent August poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire, Senator Markey holds a 19-point advantage over challenger Deaton, while Governor Healey retains a 24-point lead over Republican nominee Minogue.

In recent history, Republicans have not won a Senate seat in Massachusetts since Scott Brown’s 2010 special election victory to fill the seat of the late Senator Ted Kennedy. However, Republicans have fared better with gubernatorial elections. Republican Charlie Baker held the governor’s seat for two terms before leaving office in 2023.

With two months remaining before Election Day, candidates are likely to ramp up their campaign operations. So get ready Massachusetts: the campaign television ads, texts, phone calls, and yard sign sightings are only just beginning.