Sep 4, 2026 · 8 min · 5 segments
Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Richard Neal and Rep. Stephen Lynch were among a slew of veteran Massachusetts lawmakers who fended off younger challengers in Democratic state primaries this week.
Susan TracyGuest
Tiziana DearingHost
James PindellGuest
So, James, that Malcolm in the Middle clip does raise a question coming out of the primaries.
But I do just want to go back to, say, Monday, going into the primaries this week.
The district is about, for Democratic primary voters, is about 50% in the various wards in Boston, and then it goes south down to Brockton.
And for me, nationwide, you saw from New York State to Colorado to more closely here to Hartford, Connecticut, where you had a much younger, much more progressive, well-funded challenger to a long-term you know, older and more moderate incumbent, and those upstarts, the younger person, would win.
And I thought this was a more closely aligned race than it was, say, the Senate race or anything else.
And it did prove to be, but Stephen Lynch did beat Patrick Roth, Susan, still.
It's not surprising that, you know, an existing incumbent in Massachusetts, as potentially we're about to take control of the House again, you know, that's a tough person to beat.
You know, the voters decided that they like Stephen Lynch and they probably liked where he was going to be come November, you know, post-November.
So, James, that Malcolm in the Middle clip does raise a question coming out of the primaries.
But I do just want to go back to, say, Monday, going into the primaries this week.
The district is about, for Democratic primary voters, is about 50% in the various wards in Boston, and then it goes south down to Brockton.
And for me, nationwide, you saw from New York State to Colorado to more closely here to Hartford, Connecticut, where you had a much younger, much more progressive, well-funded challenger to a long-term you know, older and more moderate incumbent, and those upstarts, the younger person, would win.
And I thought this was a more closely aligned race than it was, say, the Senate race or anything else.
And it did prove to be, but Stephen Lynch did beat Patrick Roth, Susan, still.
It's not surprising that, you know, an existing incumbent in Massachusetts, as potentially we're about to take control of the House again, you know, that's a tough person to beat.
You know, the voters decided that they like Stephen Lynch and they probably liked where he was going to be come November, you know, post-November.
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