Battenfeld: Ayanna Pressley the looming bigfoot in U.S. Senate race

Ayanna Pressley is the looming bigfoot in next year s U S Senate race capable of booting out incumbent Ed Markey the same way she toppled longtime Rep Michael Capuano in a Democratic primary challenge If she follows the same playbook she used on Somerville s Capuano in Rep Pressley will depict Markey as old and stale and herself as part of a wave of younger fresher and more aggressive Democrats willing to take on President Donald Trump Her campaign slogan then was Change Can t Wait This is a fight for the soul of our party and the future of our democracy at a time when our country is at a crossroads Pressley reported on balloting night when she won Massachusetts th congressional district That exact same message could resonate with liberal Democratic primary voters next year when Markey s seat is up for grabs in a probable three-way Democratic primary Trump is still the president and Democrats are fighting to win back the House from Republicans in the mid-term electoral process A new Suffolk University-Boston Globe poll confirms that Pressley the largest part far-left member of the Massachusetts delegation is a serious threat to the -year-old Markey s political survival In a three-way matchup that includes Rep Seth Moulton who has already launched his Senate candidacy Pressley and Markey are in a dead heat with just over one-third of the Democratic primary vote Moulton trails by double digits in third place and the poll of Democratic primary voters suggests he s not the real concern for Markey it s Pressley who is capable of pulling the final curtain over the incumbent s long career in Congress which began in the mid- s Running against Markey would be a big hazard for Pressley who represents parts of Boston and surrounding communities because she would have to give up her safe House seat It s also unclear whether she d play statewide out of her liberal district Pressley has taken a number of extreme positions that could turn off more moderate Democrats The Suffolk poll exhibited she takes voters from Markey mostly in the Boston area But would Pressley decide to wait four years when Sen Elizabeth Warren retires Her past actions and words suggest she would take the plunge next year and go after Markey What do you expect me to do wait Pressley noted in when inquired why she was attempting to knock off Capuano Pressley has notably not knocked down reports that she is considering running against Markey and Moulton and a number of factors could tip the balance in favor of a Senate candidacy next year The Democratic primary electorate in Massachusetts is still overwhelmingly liberal and anti-Trump which could help Pressley a part of Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez s squad Pressley also would be the first Black woman ever elected to the U S Senate in Massachusetts a historic feat that makes her candidacy unique And if Markey thinks he is invincible because he defeated a Kennedy six years ago he should think again Pressley is no Joe Kennedy III Kennedy then a congressman often struggled to say why he was running against Markey The -year-old Pressley is no shrinking violet and will have no trouble telling voters why they should back her over Markey and Moulton Age will also be a big factor helping Pressley Markey looks old and tired in his YouTube videos while Pressley looks bolder and more vibrant A big question is what progressive political groups with a lot of campaign money will do if Pressley takes the plunge Will they abandon Markey for her Women s groups like Emily s List and minority groups are likely to back Pressley which could give her momentum A Markey-Pressley-Moulton race would also test the loyalties of a number of Democratic pols What about Warren She has endorsed Markey in the past but would she still back him if Pressley is in the race Or would she sit it out And what would Boston Mayor Michelle Wu do Wu is close to Pressley they both served on the Boston City Council together and there s a good chance she could throw her endorsement to the congresswoman Matt Stone Boston HeraldSalem Rep Seth Moulton Matt Stone Boston Herald