Markey's lead isn't just holding — it's growing, and Moulton is running out of road.

Two separate polls out this week paint the clearest picture yet of where the U.S. Senate primary stands: Senator Ed Markey has pulled away from Representative Seth Moulton, and the "generational change" argument that was supposed to be Moulton's whole case just isn't landing. The Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll has Markey up 52-38, a 14-point spread. The UMass Amherst/WCVB poll, released a day earlier, has it even wider — 60-32, a 28-point gap. Both surveys show undecided voters shrinking fast, which is the worst possible trend for a challenger who needs to consolidate the persuadable middle in the campaign's final days.

What's striking is why voters are breaking Markey's way. Moulton, the 47-year-old Marine veteran and Iraq War vet, built his campaign around the idea that the 80-year-old Markey represents a Democratic Party stuck in the past. But the UMass poll found voters actually view Markey's age as an asset — a signal of experience and reliability at a moment when Democrats are anxious about taking on Trump-era Washington. Markey is even leading among veterans, a group Moulton's biography was supposed to lock down. More than four in five Democratic primary voters approve of how Markey's handling the job. That's not the environment you want to see if you're trying to convince people it's time for a change.

So what happens next? All eyes turn to Thursday night's final debate — hosted by WCVB, WBUR, and the Globe — which may be Moulton's last real shot at shaking up the race before early voting starts August 22. Absent a dramatic moment, though, these numbers suggest Markey is on track to survive his second straight primary challenge from within the state's own congressional delegation. Full story at Boston Globe →

Lawrence mayor faces his council — and his charges. The Lawrence City Council meets tonight for the first time since FBI agents arrested Mayor Brian DePeña on Friday, accused of funneling more than $1.5 million in COVID-era small business loans into his political campaign and personal debts. DePeña's lawyer says he has no plans to resign. WCVB →

Brockton's mayor could soon be criminally charged. A clerk-magistrate found probable cause that Mayor Moises Rodrigues committed assault and battery against a then-high schooler during a marching band event last spring. The Norfolk DA's office says it will prosecute; no charges have been formally filed yet. GBH News →

Milton parents demand police out of school residency checks. Following a Globe investigation that found Black students were disproportionately scrutinized in residency investigations, about 140 people signed a petition calling on the district to stop using police and an anonymous tip line — and to resume tracking race data on who gets investigated. The School Committee takes it up Wednesday. Boston Globe →

Head Start advocates brace for a federal shakeup. The Trump administration wants to roll back federal standards on class size, safety, and health screenings for the program, which serves 11,000 Massachusetts kids — while adding new requirements like English-only instruction and a 5% cap on administrative costs. The public comment window is open for 60 days. Boston Globe →

Wu digs for answers on ICE's Boston parking hunt. Mayor Michelle Wu says the city will file a public records request to find out which private property owners responded to ICE's notice seeking up to 249 parking spaces in Boston. Wu says she's gotten nothing directly from the agency and remains opposed to any expansion of ICE's local footprint. Boston.com →

Nearly all November ballot questions are on track to pass. A new UMass Amherst/WCVB poll finds seven of the nine statewide ballot questions have majority support already. The two exceptions: a question to overturn recreational marijuana legalization, and one allowing public defenders to unionize. WCVB →

Thursday, 8 p.m.: Markey and Moulton meet for their final debate before the primary, hosted by WCVB, WBUR, and the Globe. WCVB →

Wednesday: Milton's School Committee discusses its residency investigation policy amid mounting pressure from parents. Boston Globe →

August 22–28: Early in-person voting runs statewide ahead of the September 1 primary — and Secretary of State William Galvin is urging the roughly 600,000 people with mail ballots out to return them now, since there's no grace period for late arrivals in a primary. CommonWealth Beacon →

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