Seth Moulton is new to the world of politics, but that did not stop the former Marine from beating U.S. Rep. John Tierney in Sept. 9's Democratic primary elections for Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District. Moulton's defeat of Tierney marks the first time since 1992 that a sitting congressman has been defeated in a primary election, according to Military Times.
A native of Marblehead, Massachusetts, Moulton graduated from Harvard University in 2001. According to Harvard Magazine, Moulton decided to become a Marine during his senior year of college. He joined following the attacks of Sept. 11 and served in Iraq. In his life after service, he returned to Harvard, receiving a joint Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Policy in 2008. The Washington Post noted that although he remains proud of his service, he openly opposed the war in Iraq and maintains an anti-war platform.
Moulton will face off against Republican nominee Richard Tisei for the spot. The Washington Post speculated that Democrats have a better chance at victory with the 35-year-old newcomer, since Tierney's personal life and low-energy campaign would have been easy targets for Republicans. Nonetheless, the race is expected to be fierce, since Tisei has already gained attention and financial support from conservative organizations, stated Military Times.