Who's In the Race

Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) faces Republican John Deaton in the Nov. 3 general election for Massachusetts's U.S. Senate seat. Deaton was the Republican nominee against Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2024 and is now running against Markey, making this his second consecutive Massachusetts Senate campaign. ​

Markey has served in the U.S. Senate since joining from the House, where he spent 37 years. Deaton is a trial attorney, and his campaign describes him as a U.S. Marine veteran and cancer survivor. Markey won the Democratic primary on Sept. 1, collecting 573,767 votes; runner-up Seth Moulton took about 35 percent of the vote. Deaton ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

What They Stand For

Markey lists energy, climate change, and the environment, along with jobs and the economy, health, medical research, and disabilities, immigration, and gun violence, as priorities on his Senate website, and he has advocated for universal pre-K and stronger online privacy protections for children.

Deaton says he will fight for policies that lower costs, support smart development, and help families build wealth, according to his campaign website. He also says he supports:

  • Permitting reform with firm deadlines for local and state approvals, opposing green-energy mandates that burden builders,
  • Affordable, accessible healthcare; and
  • Securing the border, ending catch-and-release, reforming asylum, and expanding legal immigration.

Joseph Tache is a youth worker and community organizer running on the Party for Socialism and Liberation ticket.

The Money Behind the Race

Markey raised about $8.1 million through Aug. 12 and had about $1.3 million in the bank, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Deaton raised about $1.6 million through Aug. 12 and had about $712,000 in the bank; he carried about $1 million in debt.

Outside groups have spent about $1.7 million in the race as of Oct. 13, with $1.66 million of it opposing Seth Moulton, a Democrat. The largest outside spender was Commonwealth Together PAC, which spent about $1.7 million opposing Moulton; about $18,000 supported Markey.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

The Cook Political Report rated the race Solid Democratic as of Oct. 12; Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Solid Democratic as of Oct. 9; and Inside Elections rated it Solid Democratic as of Oct. 2. On Kalshi, traders gave Democrats, whose nominee is Markey, a 97.71 percent chance of winning as of Oct. 13, leaving Republicans, whose nominee is Deaton, at 2.29 percent.

In the state's other Senate seat, Democrat Elizabeth Warren won re-election in 2024 with about 58 percent of the vote. Democrats won all nine of Massachusetts's U.S. House seats in both 2022 and 2024. Democrat Kamala Harris carried Massachusetts in the 2024 presidential election with about 61 percent of the vote.

Voters must register by Saturday, Oct. 24: online by 11:59 p.m., by mail with a postmark by that date, or in person by 5 p.m. Mail-ballot applications must reach local election offices by Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 5 p.m. Early voting runs Saturday, Oct. 17, through Friday, Oct. 30; hours vary by city and town, though the state requires weekend voting hours. On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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