Ed Markey

Edward John Markey (born July 11, 1946) is an American politician serving as the junior United States senator from the state of Massachusetts, a seat he has held since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he served 20 terms (18 full, two partial) as the U.S. representative for Massachusetts's 7th congressional district from 1976 to 2013. Before that, he was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1973 to 1976. He has been the dean of the Massachusetts's congressional delegation since 2009.

In 2013, after John Kerry was appointed United States Secretary of State, Markey was elected to serve out the remainder of Kerry's Senate term in a 2013 special election. Markey defeated Stephen Lynch in the Democratic primary and Republican Gabriel E. Gomez in the general election. He was elected to a full term in the Senate in 2014. Markey fended off a primary challenge from Joseph Kennedy III and was reelected in 2020 by a wide margin.

Markey is a progressive who has focused on climate change and energy policy and chaired the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming from 2007 to 2011. He is the Senate author of the Green New Deal. His progressive policies have led to widespread support among young voters, with The Hill calling him "an icon to Gen Z activists". Markey is running for reelection in 2026.

Early life and education

Markey was born on July 11, 1946, in Malden, Massachusetts, the son of Christina M. (née Courtney) and John E. Markey, a milkman. Markey's mother was the valedictorian of her high school class but was unable to attend college because her mother died and she was needed to care for the family. The family was Irish Catholic, and Markey was educated at Immaculate Conception School and Malden Catholic High School.