President Donald Trump was following Massachusetts’ US Senate primary — and apparently, he’s happy with the result.
Speaking at a White House dinner for Republican candidates Wednesday night, Trump hailed what he called Senator Ed Markey’s 30-point “landslide” win over US Representative Seth Moulton in Tuesday’s primary election.
“I’m glad Markey won over Moulton,” Trump said. “I couldn’t stand Moulton. I really couldn’t. I mean, Markey, I wouldn’t say, loves Trump, but Moulton was so bad.”
It’s unclear exactly why Trump feels so strongly about Moulton. During the primary campaign, both Markey and Moulton ran as fierce Trump opponents, even jockeying to claim they would be tougher on the president than their opponent.
While Moulton criticized Markey for voting for several Trump nominees, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the senator repeatedly stated his support for impeaching the president should Democrats take majorities next year.
But Moulton previously was on Trump’s radar: after all, the Salem Democrat wanted to challenge him in 2020 for the presidency. Like many other Democrats who ran in that primary, Moulton campaigned as someone who could protect American democracy from the threat posed by Trump.
The congressman failed to catch on, however, and ended his presidential campaign after four months. Trump even mocked his exit and poor performance at the time. “The Dow is down 573 points perhaps on the news that Representative Seth Moulton, whoever that may be, has dropped out of the 2020 Presidential Race!” Trump wrote on Twitter in August 2019.
But Trump did not just lavish praise on Markey. He also criticized his vocal advocacy for transgender rights, an issue the president said was far more favorable for Republicans. “I saw Markey during a debate say, I want men to play in women’s sports, so they’re really into that and I hope they continue,” Trump said. (In his third debate with Moulton, Markey said he supported Massachusetts law that protects transgender student athletes.)
Spokespeople for Markey and Moulton did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Trump’s remarks.
Sam Brodey can be reached at sam.brodey@globe.com. Follow him @sambrodey.