Only One State Has an Older Congressional Senate Duo Than Massachusetts

Massachusetts has the second-oldest U.S. Senate delegation in the nation. At a time when people are living and remaining active much longer than ever before, some have begun to question how old is too old to serve in government.

The age debate is not new. President Ronald Reagan batted away concerns about his advancing age in the 1980s, while John F. Kennedy had to assure the nation he was not too young to be president in 1960.

The poor 2024 debate performance of obviously age-challenged President Joe Biden raised new concerns about aging in public office.

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Local Polling Reveals Voter Anxieties Over Aging Officials

A third of respondents (33 percent) to a recent Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll said a candidate's age "doesn't matter" when considering whom to vote for. That's good news for junior Massachusetts U.S. Senator Ed Markey.

Massachusetts Has The 2nd-Oldest U.S. Senate Delegation

Upcoming September Primary Puts the Age Question to a Vote

Markey, who was first elected to Congress in 1976, first to the House, then the Senate, turns 80 on July 11, 2026, two months before facing a primary election challenge from fellow Democrat U.S. Representative Seth Moulton on September 1.

READ MORE: Where Does Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts Really Live?

Massachusetts' senior Senator, Elizabeth Warren, turned 77 on June 22, 2026. Warren will be 80 should she decide to seek re-election in three years.

How the Massachusetts Delegation Compares on a National Level

Combined, Markey and Warren have 157 years between them, making them the second-oldest delegation in the U.S. Senate.

The oldest U.S. Senate delegation is Vermont's, with Independent Bernie Sanders, who will be 85 in September, and Democrat Peter Welch, who is 79. They currently have 164 years between them.

Iowa's delegation is the third-oldest, though it includes the oldest current member, Republican Chuck Grassley, who will be 93 in September, and Republican Joni Ernst, just 56 years old.

The Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll found that 65.6 percent of respondents consider age a factor when voting, with 24.2 percent describing it as a "big factor" and 41.4 percent viewing it as a "small factor."