Weston narrowly backs Markey in Senate primary

Ed Markey edged Seth Moulton by 23 votes in Weston as the incumbent U.S. senator dominated his much younger challenger across Massachusetts in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.

Markey, who will face Republican candidate John Deaton in the November general election, earned 754 votes to Moulton’s 731 in Weston in the unofficial tally, according to Town Clerk Janet Murphy. Statewide, the Associated Press reported Markey garnered about 65% of the vote.

Voter turnout was 21.4%, as 1,860 of Weston’s 8,688 registered voters participated, with 1,497 Democratic ballots and 363 Republican ballots cast. Participation was up from the 2024 state primary, in which 1,303 of the town’s 8,652, or 15.06% of voters, went to the polls. Broken down, 1,044 Democrats, 255 Republicans and 28 Libertarians voted in the 2024 primary.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Michael Minogue emerged victorious in Weston and around the state. Locally, he received 213 votes to Brian Shortsleeve’s 145. Minogue will face the uncontested incumbent Democratic Gov. Maura Healey in November.

Weston also backed incumbents in other contested Democratic elections, as U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark defeated Jonathan Paz of Waltham and Tarik Samman of Cambridge for the Fifth Congressional District nomination, 1,142-196-59. Governor’s Councilor Mara Dolan fended off a challenge from Margie Palladino, 804-444, and Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan defeated David Solet, 985-303.

Incumbent state Rep. Alice Peisch and Sen. Michael Barrett both had uncontested races, and are all but certain to be re-elected in November with no Republican opponents. Other uncontested winners included Middlesex County Register of Probate Tara DeChristofaro, state Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, state Auditor Diana DiZoglio, Secretary of State William F. Galvin, Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell and Lt. Gov. Kimberly Driscoll.

Several races on the Republican ballot were also uncontested, with Lt. Gov. candidate Shawn Oliver, Attorney General candidate Michael Walsh and Treasurer candidate Elizabeth Dionne all advancing to the general election.

The November general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.