Edward Markey

Massachusetts State Sen. Nick Collins says he’s supporting U.S. Sen. Ed Markey in his bid for reelection.

“Ed’s got a lot of guts,” Collins, a Democrat like Markey, said Saturday night. “He’s not afraid to take on a fight and he delivers.”

Collins spoke at at an event at the home of PR mogul George Regan’s and his wife Elizabeth Regan’s home at Willowbend in Mashpee that drew more than 100 guests. Markey was the guest of honor.

Markey, Massachusetts’ junior senator who serves with fellow Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren, was first elected to the Senate in 2003. He had previously served in the U.S. House beginning with his election in 1976 following a stint in the state Legislature.

Collins, whose South Boston-centric district also includes portions of Dorchester, “praised Markey’s efforts to secure federal support for improvements to the Port of Boston,” according to a summary of the endorsement provided to the Herald by a spokesperson. He said Markey fights for a “bustling port” while still keeping in mind “environmental protections important” to Collins’ district.

Markey is challenged by U.S. Congressman Seth Moulton, of Salem.

“We’re in a crisis, and with everything we learned last election, I just don’t believe Sen. Markey should be running for another six-year term at 80 years old,” Moulton said when announcing his bid last October. “Even more, I don’t think someone who’s been in Congress for half a century is the right person to meet this moment and win the future.”

The two candidates are scheduled for a second televised debate on Monday that will air on both Boston 25 and GBH at 7 p.m. and livestream on each outlet’s YouTube channel.