Sen. Markey on his age and challenger: 'I feel more energized than ever'

U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, 46, will challenge U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, 79, in the Democratic primary for Senate next September. Moulton has made Markey's age a main sticking point in this race.

In a recent interview, Moulton told WBUR senior political reporter Anthony Brooks he believes "it's time for a new generation of leadership to take on Trump and lead us forward."

Markey responded to Moulton's challenge on WBUR's All Things Considered.

Read the conversation below. (This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.)

Brooks: Rep. Moulton is making the argument that you're too old to be running again, that you'll be 86 by the end of your next term. What's your response? 

Markey: " I feel more energized than ever. It's not your age, it's the age of your ideas. And when I see Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans trying to roll back everything we fought for, from climate action to reproductive rights, it only makes me fight harder. It brings out the Malden in me."

Moulton said Democrats need to learn the lesson of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sen. Dianne Feinstein [and] even President Joe Biden. Aren't those all cases about the perils of staying in office too long?

"We have a provision in the Constitution about age restrictions and term limits. It's called elections. Voters can make their views known. I'm going to work hard to earn their vote once again in 2026."

Do you think there are issues you don't see eye-to-eye on with Seth Moulton?

"Congressman Moulton and I may agree on some issues on paper, but our records tell a different story. When I see a problem, I write the bill. I build the coalition. I get it done. From connecting our students to Wi-Fi ... to creating clean energy jobs right here in Massachusetts. I made that a law. I [introduced] a trans bill of rights. I don't just vote the right way. I lead the right way."

He [Rep. Moulton] says Democrats need new leadership and so he won't support Chuck Schumer to lead the Democrats in the Senate. What about you?

"The election for leader is 18 months away. What I'm focused on right now is defeating Donald Trump. Trump is a walking, talking constitutional crisis every single day."

So you don't have a position right now on whether Sen. Chuck Schumer should continue to be minority leader in the Senate or [possibly] a majority leader?

"That election is 18 months away."

I want to ask you about this shutdown and the fight over health care that Democrats are having with Republicans. What do you say to those who argue Democrats are at risk of giving away a potent issue they could run on next year and in 2028?

"We can't wait because Massachusetts and all other states are right now receiving their new health care bills in the mail. Right now, 325,000 Massachusetts citizens are going to lose their health care insurance; 337,000 are going to see a dramatic rise in their health care premiums. We have to solve this problem right now.

"The Republicans are refusing to come back to Washington. They should come back to Washington so we can sit down so that we can avoid this health care bomb from going off."

What do Democrats have to do differently to find their way back from the political wilderness and what went wrong in the last election, in your view?

"We need to focus on Americans as they live their lives. We have to make sure that we protect their health care. My legislation, Health Over Wealth Act, [is about] getting private equity and corporate greed out of our health care system, so that no other state has to suffer what Massachusetts did after the Steward Health Care system was hollowed out by private equity."

Senator, I've heard you make those arguments for quite a while. I'm trying to get at what went wrong in the last election for Democrats. What do they have to do differently to win back those constituencies?

"Without question inflation was a huge issue. Things cost too much. We as Democrats need to recognize that costs must go down. Trump is increasing costs right now: costs for health care, costs for food, costs for clothing. They're all going up. So we need to listen to American families at the kitchen table and then act on it. Trump is ignoring them and we have a chance to let them know we're on their side."