U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton’s Democratic Senate marketing campaign is on a shaky basis – based mostly on nothing greater than incumbent 79-year-old Ed Markey’s age and a superficial, opportunistic want to maneuver up the ladder in Congress.
If Moulton have been an employer, he’d be introduced up on age discrimination prices based mostly on his video announcement that Markey is just too outdated to be reelected.
The 46-year-old Moulton in truth freely admits he has only a few if any coverage variations with fellow liberal Democrat Markey, a lot the identical means Josh Kraft tried and did not articulate any variations with fellow liberal Michelle Wu.
Moulton’s obtained nothing to run on however a completely superficial, ageist conclusion that Markey might be 86 on the finish of his subsequent time period. There isn’t a compelling purpose to throw Markey out of the Senate.
“Is he too outdated?” the by no means digital camera shy Moulton advised the media in certainly one of many interviews on Wednesday. “Look, each political guide will inform me to not say this, however the trustworthy fact is, sure.”
If Markey is just too outdated, meaning Bernie Sanders is eligible for a Smithsonian exhibit.
Markey was additionally fairly outdated when he demolished Joe Kennedy III in a Democratic major – humiliating the good Kennedy identify and catapulting younger Joe K3 to political exile.
Markey has a dorky attraction which confirmed up within the Kennedy race, the sort that prompts voters to say “good for him.”
The truth that outdated Ed stood his floor towards Kennedy was surprising. All of the political prognosticators anticipated him to roll over.
Moulton doesn’t have the Kennedy identify. The one factor he has is his time as a CNN commentator. If the race was based mostly on community air time, Moulton could be a shoo-in.
However on the problems, like immigration, Moulton can’t out-Trump Markey or out-left him. Markey is securely within the far left, Trump hating lane.
So there’s actually no room for Moulton, who’s seen extra of an opportunist by Massachusetts political gamers.
Voters largely don’t care how outdated a candidate is except, like Joe Biden, they present some type of cognitive or bodily decline. And senior voters truly forged ballots.
Massachusetts voters over 65 years outdated have a greater than 70% turnout fee – a lot greater than youthful voters. So Moulton is making an attempt to persuade a largely older demographic that Markey’s age disqualifies him from serving. Dangerous technique.
And in the event you’re going to name for change from the “established order” as an argument to unseat Markey, what’s the change Moulton represents? The North Shore Democrat has been within the Home for ten years, so he’s the established order.
He’s making an attempt to painting himself as a candidate for change, with out saying what the change would seem like.
With Moulton now in, may there be others within the coming months? The race appears ripe for one more candidate or two to leap in.
It’s onerous to consider Democratic regulars are going to let Moulton problem Markey one-on-one.
Michelle Wu, a mayor of a significant metropolis, and a lady of coloration, could be a a lot stronger candidate towards Markey than Moulton.
She could be good sufficient to provide you with distinctions on the problems, not simply age.
