F Democrats still recovering from the 2024 election, the Massachusetts Democratic primary is a jumpscare. Ed Markey, who has spent half a century in Congress, will be 86 by the end of his next term if he is re-elected. Mr Markey's primary challenger, Seth Moulton, meanwhile, credits four tours of duty in the Iraq war as his motivation. The 47-year-old has made age the defining contrast between them. "With everything we learned last election," he says in an advertisement, "I just don't believe Senator Markey should be running for another six-year term at 80 years old." Mr Markey is not alone in his tenacity. Just one-third of the 24 octogenarians up for re-election this year have announced their plans to retire from office (see chart).
