The wave of young Democrats looking to unseat incumbents in the midterms has hit Massachusetts.
This week, Patrick Roath, an attorney and voting rights advocate, kicked off his bid to unseat Rep. Stephen Lynch more than a year ahead of the 2026 Democratic primary.
The move comes as the Democratic Party is soul-searching in the wake of a major election loss that featured a fiery debate about when incumbents should move out of their seats and make space for the next generation of elected leaders. Young candidates around the nation — including in California, Illinois and Indiana — are stepping up to run against longtime incumbents.