Sen. Ed Markey defeated challenger Rep. Joe Kennedy III by 12 points with 79% of the precincts reporting in yesterday’s Democratic primary election for U.S. Senate. The last UMass Amherst/WCVB Poll before the election showed Markey with a 15 point lead. On the eve of the election, Tatishe Nteta, political science and director of the UMass Poll, said, “It’s been a weird campaign and I think it’s surprised not just the candidates themselves, but everyone in the state.” (Vox, MEAWW, Washington Times, News Office release)