Ed Markey

Who is Ed Markey?

Edward John "Ed" Markey is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. From 1976 to 2013 he served as the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 5th congressional district. He previously served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1973 to 1976.

Markey is a liberal who has focused on energy policy and is the former Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. In 2013, following John Kerry's appointment as United States Secretary of State, he was elected to serve out the balance of Kerry's sixth Senate term in a 2013 special election. He defeated socially conservative Stephen Lynch in the Democratic primary, and Republican Gabriel E. Gomez in the general election. Prior to leaving the House for the Senate, he was its 8th most senior member. He is the dean of the Massachusetts congressional delegation and the second longest-serving current member of Congress from New England, behind Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont.