Politics

Markey, Healey get high marks in new Suffolk/Globe poll

The survey found high favorability for both Democrats as voters weighed 2026 and beyond.

Sen. Ed Markey spoke during a confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 29, 2025. HAIYUN JIANG

April 15, 2026 | 3:56 PM

1 minute to read

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey holds a sizable lead over Rep. Seth Moulton, his challenger in this year’s Democratic primary, while Gov. Maura Healey has strong job approval ratings, according to a new poll from Suffolk University and The Boston Globe.

Among 500 respondents, 47% said they would support Markey if the primary were held today, compared to 30% for Moulton.

Conducted less than five months before the September Democratic primary, the poll also gauged voters’ views on several Massachusetts political figures and offered an early look at sentiment surrounding the 2028 presidential race.

Markey’s job performance received largely positive marks, with about 32% of respondents rating it “excellent” and 41% rating it “good.” Roughly 15% rated his performance as “fair,” while just over 5% said “poor.”

The poll also looked into the potential role of age in the Senate race, given that Markey is 79 and Moulton is 47. About 36% of respondents said age would impact their vote “a little,” and 26.4% said “a lot” — while 32% said it would not factor in at all.

Healey’s job performance was similarly well-received: 45.6% rated her performance as “good,” and nearly 30% said “excellent.” Meanwhile, 15.8% rated her as “fair,” and just over 6% said “poor.”

The survey further measured favorability ratings for several Massachusetts political figures.

Markey ranked highest, with 84% of respondents viewing him favorably, followed by Healey at 81.2%. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu received a 76.8% favorability rating, while Rep. Ayanna Pressley was viewed favorably by 65% of respondents.

Former Rep. Joe Kennedy III had the highest unfavorable rating at 19.6%, followed by Moulton at 15.8%.

Looking ahead to the national stage, respondents were asked which potential Democratic presidential candidate excites them the most.

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg led with 23.4%. Other candidates that ranked high were California Gov. Gavin Newsom at 17.4% and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 14%.

The poll also asked about confidence in the Democratic Party’s ability to retake control of the U.S. House in the 2026 midterm elections.

About 49.4% said they were “somewhat confident,” while 29% said they were “confident.” On the other hand, 13.6% said they were “not very confident,” and 6.4% said they were “not at all confident.”