Top 5 most heated moments as progressives spar over who is farther to the left in final Dem Senate debate

The two Democratic candidates for United States Senate in Massachusetts took to the debate stage on Thursday night, with both making the case to voters in the deep blue commonwealth that their campaigns are most likely to deliver on far-left agenda items.

Incumbent Sen.

Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Rep.

Seth Moulton, D-Mass., faced pressing questions over hot-button issues, including transgender athletes participating in women's sports, U.S.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement, term limits in Congress and socialism’s growing influence within the Democratic Party during their final debate.

Markey and Moulton both agreed that biological males should be able to participate in female sports, with Markey saying, "Yes, I do," when asked if that should be allowed.

"That is the law in Massachusetts, and I think it's the correct law," he said.

SUPREME COURT MAKES RULING ON TRANS ATHLETES IN WOMEN'S SPORTS The question of transgender athletes in sports did get contentious when Markey called out Moulton over a comment two years ago in which Moulton said he did not want his young daughters "getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete." Markey accused Moulton of using transgender athletes as "political fodder" and throwing them under "the political bus." In response, Moulton apologized for his past remarks, saying he did not intend to hurt anyone and that Republicans were the real enemy as Markey laughed and shook his head throughout the answer.

"My intention is to say, if we as Democrats don't start making these decisions, don't foster this debate ourselves, then we're just ceding the field to Republicans who will continue to put forward this hateful legislation," he said.

The exchange sparked criticism from conservatives online after it was highlighted by the Republican National Committee (RNC) X account.

"Another Democrat senator says 'it is absolutely essential' that males should be able to play in female sports.

Should women boxers, runners, and shot put throwers have to compete against me?" Crime Prevention Research Center President John Lott posted on X .

"Why do Democrats keep fighting on this hill?" Turning to immigration enforcement, Moulton and Markey both called for abolishing ICE and holding the Trump administration accountable for its actions.

Moulton called ICE "completely corrupt" and "staffed by thugs," while calling for their prosecutions.