The race for the 6th Congressional District seat — currently held by Rep. Seth Moulton — is beginning to take shape ahead of the September primary.

Moulton officially launched his campaign last October to challenge Sen. Ed Markey in the 2026 Massachusetts Democratic Senate primary. The 46-year-old has largely focused his message on generational change, arguing that the 79-year-old incumbent should not seek another term.

Mariah Lancaster

Mariah Lancaster, an emergency veterinarian and former congressional staffer, is running for the 6th Congressional District seat with a campaign focused on economic struggles facing working families and what they describe as systemic failures at the federal level.

Lancaster said their decision to run stems from firsthand experience seeing the financial strain many families face. “I’m running for Congress because the system is rigged against us, and working families are suffering,” they said, pointing to rising costs for essentials like housing, health care, and childcare.

Drawing from their work in veterinary emergency medicine, they added that they’ve seen firsthand “just how close to the edge families are living,” emphasizing that these challenges require national policy solutions, as it is effecting not just Massachusetts, but the whole country.

They describe their background as a key distinction from other candidates, combining experience in government, science, and frontline service. Lancaster previously worked as legislative staff in the U.S. House of Representatives and as a diplomat, experiences they say provide an understanding of both domestic policy and foreign affairs. “I understand the systems in place, how they’re broken, and how to begin fixing them on day one,” they said.

At the same time, Lancaster emphasized their work outside of government, including overnight shifts during the pandemic treating pets and wildlife. They described themselves as “a subject matter expert in medicine, food safety, and biosecurity,” adding that their approach to policy is rooted in scientific evidence rather than political rhetoric.

“Americans are sick and tired of lawyers and businessmen treating our government like a playground for their career development. If we want a government that will fight for working people, we have to send working people to Washington,” they said.

If elected, Lancaster said their initial focus would be ensuring a smooth transition from Seth Moulton’s office while also addressing what they see as widespread government corruption. They said they would work with the Congressional Progressive Caucus to pursue accountability measures across all branches of government, including stronger oversight and restoring independence to federal institutions.

Lancaster also identified climate change as a central priority, calling it an “existential threat” and advocating for expanded clean energy investment, environmental protections, and international cooperation to reduce emissions.

“I was raised by parents who wanted to make the world a better place. My father studied environmental law and early climate science and my mother earned her degree in reproductive health. They were policy activists who taught us to be the change we wish to see in the world. My siblings and I all went into the life sciences — my brother as an EMT, my sister as a nurse, and I became a veterinarian. At each step of my career, I sought to make a bigger difference in the fight for working people and our entire world,” they said.

Lancaster realized while advising policy makers in Washington that to make a difference “you have to take a stand,” adding that they are “ready to serve this district with loyalty, humility, and integrity.”

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