Massachusetts — U.S. Senate

D Democratic Edward J. Markey

Opposes term limits, defends record

Markey defends his extensive legislative tenure and progressive record, emphasizing that his decades of experience allow him to effectively deliver results and combat conservative federal agendas. He highlights his refusal to compromise progressive values throughout his career in public service.

• Emphasizes decades of congressional leadership and experience delivering funding to Massachusetts
• Defends progressive legislative record against primary and general election challenges
• Opposes proposed mandatory congressional age and term limits

“Throughout his career, Ed has refused to compromise his progressive values in his fight to build a Commonwealth and country that are fair, just, and equitable for all.”

“I'm more energized than I've ever been before. I am crisscrossing the state. I am fighting for families.”

R Republican John Deaton

Supports term limits, ethics reforms

Deaton makes congressional reform a cornerstone of his platform, proposing the Clean Hands Act to curb institutional corruption and self-imposing a two-term limit in the Senate. He advocates banning stock trading by lawmakers and instituting lifetime lobbying bans for former members.

• Pledges to self-impose a limit of two terms (12 years) in the U.S. Senate
• Introduced the Clean Hands Act banning stock, crypto, and commodities trading for members of Congress
• Proposes a lifetime ban on lobbying for former federal lawmakers and a 5-year post-government restriction on agency regulators
• Supports withholding congressional pay if budgets and appropriations bills are not passed on time

“Sen. Markey has spent 53 years in Congress and is Exhibit A for why career politicians have failed us.”

“My Clean Hands Act starts with cleaning up Congress and will be the first bills I introduce as Senator.”

D Democratic Edward J. Markey

Focuses on lower working-class costs

Markey attributes rising consumer prices to corporate greed and federal policies favoring the wealthy, advocating for direct working-class cost relief, wage growth, and federal investments in community economic development. He supports targeted public spending to expand economic opportunity across Massachusetts.

• Co-hosted statewide town halls focusing on grocery, housing, and utility cost burdens
• Supports federal investments to lower living expenses for middle- and lower-income families
• Opposes conservative tax policies that he argues favor corporations and ultra-wealthy individuals

“While Trump’s agenda drives prices higher and favors the wealthy, Ed is fighting to lower costs, protect workers, expand opportunity, and ensure every family can build a stable, successful future.”

R Republican John Deaton

Supports fiscal discipline, budget cuts

Deaton focuses on controlling federal spending, cutting waste, and balancing the budget to curb inflation and reduce national debt. He advocates requiring independent inflation assessments for major spending bills and reforming private equity access for everyday investors.

• Opposes federal deficit spending and COVID-era stimulus packages that contributed to high inflation
• Proposes requiring independent Inflation Impact Statements for bills spending over $1 billion
• Advocates reforming the Accredited Investor Rule to allow lower-income citizens access to private equity markets
• Proposes an Innovation Dividend Trust to return economic gains from federal research back to taxpayers

“Washington’s reckless spending is driving up prices and making life harder for Massachusetts families. I’ll cut waste, balance the budget, and hold both parties accountable — because making life affordable starts with fiscal discipline.”

D Democratic Edward J. Markey

Supports Green New Deal transition

Markey is a prominent federal advocate for sweeping climate legislation, having co-authored the Green New Deal alongside Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. He champions aggressive federal investments to transition the economy to clean energy, build climate-resilient infrastructure, and ensure environmental justice.

• Original Senate sponsor of the Green New Deal resolution setting a 10-year clean energy mobilization target
• Introduced legislative packages to climate-proof national healthcare systems and green public school facilities
• Chairs Senate subcommittee panels on clean air, climate change, and nuclear safety

“In February of 2019, Ed introduced the Green New Deal alongside Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, which sets in place a 10-year mobilization to achieve a green economy...”

R Republican John Deaton

Opposes Green New Deal, market-based clean energy

Deaton strongly opposes the Green New Deal, arguing that rapid fossil fuel mandates burden lower-income families with high electricity and heating costs. He champions a balanced energy strategy that expands natural gas, nuclear, and geothermal infrastructure without relying on federal subsidies.

• Explicitly opposes the Green New Deal and federal green energy mandates
• Supports federal legislation expanding natural gas pipelines, small modular nuclear reactors, and geothermal power
• Opposes committing taxpayer subsidies to clean energy industries, advocating market competition instead

“I oppose the Green New Deal. We need a multi-faceted and balanced approach to tackling this issue that protects our economy...”

D Democratic Edward J. Markey

Supports Medicare for All Expansion

Markey advocates for single-payer Medicare for All to guarantee healthcare as a human right for every American. He prioritizes lowering prescription drug costs, strengthening public health systems, and ensuring equal medical access regardless of income.

• Supports advancing a comprehensive national Medicare for All program
• Prioritizes lowering out-of-pocket prescription drug prices and expanding community health coverage
• Chairs the Senate HELP Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security

“Ed Markey believes that all Americans deserve access to high quality healthcare and is committed to making universal healthcare a reality.”

R Republican John Deaton

Supports market price transparency, PBM reform

Deaton advocates reducing healthcare costs through free-market price transparency, lowering prescription drug prices, and reforming Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) practices. He opposes expanding federal healthcare bureaucracy or raising taxes to achieve care access.

• Proposes ending Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) price abuses and expanding telehealth access
• Mandates price transparency across medical providers to foster market competition
• Opposes single-payer healthcare plans and growing federal administrative bureaucracy

“No one should go broke to stay healthy. I’ll work to lower prescription drug costs, increase price transparency, and expand access to quality care without growing Washington’s bureaucracy or raising taxes.”

D Democratic Edward J. Markey

Supports humane immigration, pathway protection

Markey emphasizes protecting immigrant communities, establishing fair pathways to citizenship, and opposing exclusionary federal policies. He advocates for humane border management and defending vulnerable immigrant populations from mass deportations or discrimination.

• Supports protecting immigrant families through fair, equitable, and humane federal legislation
• Opposes restrictive federal border measures and Republican-led immigration initiatives
• Advocates preserving civil rights and legal protections for non-citizen residents

“Ed is fighting every day to protect the promise of this country... protect immigrant families with fair and humane policies...”

R Republican John Deaton

Supports border security, asylum reform

Deaton prioritizes securing the southern border, ending catch-and-release policies, and reforming the federal asylum system. While advocating for expanded legal immigration, he highlights national security risks and the link between unvetted border entry and fentanyl trafficking.

• Calls for securing the southern border, ending catch-and-release, and tightening asylum qualifications
• Advocates expanding legal immigration avenues for rule-abiding applicants
• Links southern border enforcement directly to curbing illegal fentanyl importations from foreign cartels

“I will fight to secure the border, end catch and release, and fight to reform the asylum process, while expanding legal immigration.”

D Democratic Edward J. Markey

Supports tuition-free college, universal pre-K

Markey advocates expanding federal support for public education, championing tuition-free community college and universal early learning programs. He supports infrastructure investments to modernize school facilities into green, energy-efficient environments.

• Supports tuition-free community college and universal early learning/pre-K initiatives
• Author of Green New Deal legislation to upgrade and climate-proof public school infrastructure
• Advocates increasing direct federal funding for primary and secondary public schools

“Markey's campaign website says he supports advancing a national Medicare for All program, universal early learning programs, tuition-free community college...”

R Republican John Deaton

Supports school choice, vocational training

Deaton promotes expanding school choice and vocational training to give students practical education alternatives. He argues that government-dominated urban educational models fail struggling kids, requiring flexible choices for families.

• Champions expanded school choice options for families in underperforming school districts
• Advocates increasing funding and support for vocational and technical skill training programs
• Criticizes urban public school systems for fostering educational inequality among low-income youth

“I’ll expand school choice and vocational training so every child has access to affordable, practical paths to success right here in Massachusetts.”

D Democratic Edward J. Markey

Supports housing affordability town halls, federal support

Markey highlights housing affordability as a core element of his economic agenda, partnering with colleagues to address regional cost inflation. He advocates federal assistance to make housing accessible and lower everyday living expenses for state residents.

• Held Western Massachusetts cost-of-living town halls specifically focused on rising housing costs
• Supports federal affordability initiatives aimed at easing rental and homeownership financial burdens
• Focuses on community-level direct constituent outreach regarding shelter costs

“More than 250 Western Massachusetts residents packed Holyoke Community College to ask their questions on housing, utilities, groceries, health care, and education directly to the Senators”

R Republican John Deaton

Supports homeownership, deregulation, lower costs

Deaton focuses on making homeownership attainable by easing regulatory development barriers and controlling interest rates via federal spending discipline. He advocates policies that encourage smart housing construction without penalizing financial success.

• Advocates federal policies that encourage local development and cut prohibitive construction regulations
• Links housing interest rate unaffordability directly to inflation caused by excessive federal deficit spending
• Focuses on expanding wealth-building homeownership opportunities for middle-class families

“Owning a home in Massachusetts shouldn’t be out of reach. I’ll fight for policies that lower costs, encourage smart development, and help families build wealth without punishing success or driving up prices.”

D Democratic Edward J. Markey

Supports universal VA healthcare access

Markey maintains that the Veterans Administration must serve all veterans regardless of their income level. He advocates for robust funding to guarantee high-quality health services across the VA system.

• Pledges to ensure full VA health service coverage regardless of a veteran's income
• Supports expanding federal appropriations for VA medical facilities and health programs

“Ed Markey believes that the VA was created to serve all veterans, not just those veterans it can "afford" to serve. All veterans, regardless of income, have earned the right to high-quality health care services.”

R Republican John Deaton

Supports Veterans Choice, mental health expansion

Deaton, a Marine Corps veteran, advocates expanding the Veterans Choice Program to allow veterans to receive care from non-VA providers. He emphasizes cutting VA red tape and expanding targeted treatment for PTSD and mental health.

• Proposes expanding the Veterans Choice Program to allow care outside the traditional VA network
• Prioritizes expanding specialized PTSD and mental health treatment services for military veterans
• Advocates seeking a seat on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to eliminate administrative service delays

“I believe we should expand the Veterans Choice Program to allow Veterans to seek treatment outside of the VA system to meet their medical needs and reduce the strain on the VA.”

D Democratic Edward J. Markey

Supports nuclear non-proliferation, human rights focus

Markey has a long history of supporting global nuclear non-proliferation and aligning foreign policy with international human rights standards. He serves on key foreign relations subcommittees and recently voted Nay on the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act.

• Advocates global reductions in nuclear arsenals as a primary international policy goal
• Voted Nay on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
• Chaired Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy

“Ed Markey believes that it should be a paramount concern of the nations of the world that we reduce and ultimately eliminate nuclear weapons from the face of the planet.”

R Republican John Deaton

Supports Israel defense, counter China economic threat

Deaton strongly supports Israel's right to defend itself while emphasizing adherence to legal rules of engagement. He advocates aggressive economic policies to counter Chinese intellectual property theft, foreign influence, and global trade manipulation.

• Supports Israel's right to defend itself and defeat Hamas while advocating adherence to military rules of engagement
• Calls for aggressive domestic economic growth and infrastructure investments to compete with Communist China
• Proposes banning foreign government lobbying and closing foreign agent loopholes in Congress

“I strongly believe that Israel has the absolute right to defend itself and its borders.”

D Democratic Edward J. Markey

Supports Transgender Bill of Rights, civil rights expansion

Markey is an author and leading proponent of the Transgender Bill of Rights, fighting to protect LGBTQ+ citizens from restrictive state laws. He champions federal civil rights protections and defends vulnerable communities against conservative political attacks.

• Authored and introduced federal Transgender Bill of Rights legislation
• Earned endorsements from national advocacy organizations including Advocates for Trans Equality
• Pledges to defend LGBTQ+ and minority groups against MAGA Republican exclusion policies

“Leading national transgender rights organization backs Markey as a proven champion and author of the Transgender Bill of Rights”