Seth Moulton

The poll, released May 7, found Markey with a 5-point lead over Moulton of 37% to 32%.

Markey’s lead in this poll is smaller than in other recent polls – a University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll from April 23 found Markey leading by 13 points.

The poll found 27.5% of Massachusetts voters approve of the job Trump is doing as president, while 61.9% disapprove.

A new poll from Emerson College shows Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., with a narrow lead over Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., in the race for U.S. Senate.

The poll, released May 7, found Markey with a 5-point lead over Moulton: 37% to 32%. Other Democratic candidates, William Gates and Alexander Rikleen, each polled at 1%, and 29% were undecided.

“Senator Markey leads the Democratic primary by 13 points among registered Democrats, while Rep. Moulton holds a 38% to 32% edge among unenrolled voters,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, in a press release. “Markey leads women 37% to 29%, while men are essentially split, with 38% backing Moulton and 37% Markey.”

Voters under 50 are also more likely to go for Markey, while voters over 50 are split.

Markey’s lead in this poll is smaller than in other recent polls – a University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll from April 23 found Markey leading by 13 points, and a Suffolk University poll from April 15 showed him leading by 17.

Taylor Hebble, a Moulton campaign spokesperson, credited the smaller gap with Moulton’s “relentless ground game.”

"The momentum we are seeing on the ground has translated into an undeniable surge in the polls," said Taylor Hebble, campaign spokesperson. "The math of this race is simple: the more people see Seth, the more they want to vote for him.”

Markey for Senate Campaign Manager Cam Charbonnier called the poll an outlier.

“Sometimes a poll is such a clear outlier you have to wonder if they accidentally surveyed a parallel universe," Charbonnier said in a statement. "We’re grateful for the overwhelming support we continue to see from every corner of the Commonwealth as Ed stays focused on the job the people elected him to do: lowering costs, standing up to Donald Trump’s chaos and corruption, and delivering real results for working families.”

The poll surveyed 1,000 Massachusetts voters from May 3 – 4. Out of those voters, 451 said they plan to vote in the Democratic primary. The margin of errors were +/- 3% and +/- 4.5% respectively.

MA voters on rent control, income tax ballot proposals

The poll asked Massachusetts residents if they would vote for a few proposals making their way to the ballot this November.

State income tax decrease: 62% support, 19% oppose, 20% not sure

Under this proposal backed by business groups, the state’s income tax would be gradually cut from 5% to 4% by 2029. Most Republicans support this question.

Rent control: 60% support, 26% oppose, 14% unsure

If passed, this proposal would limit the annual rent increase for residential units in Massachusetts to the increase of the Consumer Price Index, or 5%, whichever is lower. It would begin with rates as of Jan. 31, 2026, and there are exceptions for some small and newly-constructed buildings. Most Democrats support this question.

All-party state primaries: 50% support, 29% oppose, 21% unsure

This proposal would make Massachusetts’ state elections, starting in 2028, like Boston’s: Candidates of all parties would be on a single ballot in the primary, with the top two finishers advancing to the general elections. Democrats are more likely to support this question.

The poll did not survey voters on any of the other eight proposed ballot questions.

Which MA politician do voters like the most?

The poll surveyed the favorability rating of five notable Massachusetts politicians: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Markey, Moulton, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey.

Here's how they ranked:

Warren: 48% favorable, 35% unfavorable

Wu: 45% favorable, 34% unfavorable

Healey: 45% favorable, 35% unfavorable

Markey: 37% favorable, 35% unfavorable

Moulton: 31% favorable, 26% favorable

Along with Markey and Moulton, Healey is facing an election this year, but Warren and Wu are not.

President Donald Trump approval rating

The poll also looked at President Donald Trump’s approval rating in Massachusetts.

27.5% said they approve of the job he is doing as president, while 61.9% said they disapprove.

This story has been updated to add comment from both campaigns.