Seth Moulton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Seth Moulton
Moulton in 2015
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 6th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2015
Preceded by	John F. Tierney
Personal details
Born	Seth Wilbur Moulton (1978-10-24) October 24, 1978 (age 46) Salem, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Liz Boardman ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	2
Education	Harvard University (BS, MBA, MPP)
Military service
Branch/service	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	2001–2008
Rank	Captain
Unit	1st Battalion, 4th Marines
Battles/wars	Iraq War
Awards	Bronze Star (2) with valor Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with valor

Seth Wilbur Moulton (born October 24, 1978) is an American politician. He has been a U.S. Representative for Massachusetts since 2015. He represents the 6th congressional district.

Before becoming a politician, Moulton was an officer in the United States Marine Corps. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He graduated from Harvard University in 2001. He earned degrees in physics, business, and public policy. Moulton served four tours in Iraq. In 2014, he was elected to Congress. In 2019, he briefly ran for president.

Seth Moulton's Early Life and Education

Seth Moulton was born on October 24, 1978, in Salem, Massachusetts. His mother, Lynn Alice, was a secretary. His father, Wilbur Thomas Moulton Jr., was a real estate lawyer. Seth grew up in Marblehead, Massachusetts, with his two younger siblings, Eliza and Cyrus.

He finished high school at Phillips Academy in 1997. Then, he went to Harvard College. In 2001, he earned a bachelor's degree in physics. At his graduation, he gave a speech about how important it is to serve others.

A few months before the September 11 attacks, Moulton joined the Marine Corps. He attended Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia. In 2002, he became a second lieutenant. He was one of the first service members to enter Baghdad during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Seth Moulton's Military Service

Moulton served four tours in Iraq between 2003 and 2008. During the 2003 invasion, he led an infantry group into Baghdad. He also took part in the 2003 Battle of Nasiriyah. There, he helped a fellow Marine who was hurt. For his brave actions, he received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for valor.

In 2004, Moulton fought in the Battle of Najaf. His group was under heavy fire. He bravely exposed himself to enemy fire to direct support. He received the Bronze Star Medal for his actions in this battle.

In 2008, during his fourth tour, General David Petraeus asked Moulton to work with tribal leaders. After this tour, Moulton left the Marine Corps. He held the rank of captain.

Moulton's Media Appearances

In 2003, Moulton co-hosted a TV show called Moulton and Mohammed. He discussed local conditions with his Iraqi interpreter. The show was for U.S. service members and Iraqi citizens.

From 2003 to 2008, Moulton often talked about his experiences in Iraq. He was interviewed by major U.S. news channels. These included CNN, MSNBC, and NPR.

Moulton was also in the 2007 documentary No End in Sight. In the film, he shared his concerns. He criticized how the U.S. government handled the occupation of Iraq.

Seth Moulton's Career in Business

After leaving the Marines in 2008, Moulton went back to Harvard. He earned two master's degrees in 2011. One was in business, and the other was in public policy.

He then worked for a transportation company for one year. In 2011, Moulton started a healthcare company. He said this showed he was a "successful entrepreneur." However, by 2014, the company had not yet made money.

Seth Moulton in the U.S. House of Representatives

Moulton has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2015. He represents the 6th congressional district of Massachusetts.

How Seth Moulton Was Elected

2014 Election Campaign

On July 8, 2013, Moulton announced he would run for Congress. He challenged the sitting Democratic Representative, John F. Tierney. This election was seen as very competitive.

Tierney's campaign suggested Moulton was too conservative. They pointed to a donation from a Republican group. Moulton said he returned the donation. He also said he opposed the Iraq War, even though he served in it.

Moulton won the Democratic primary election. He received 50.8% of the votes. He then won the general election against Republican Richard Tisei. Moulton received 55.0% of the votes.

Later Elections for Congress

Moulton was re-elected without opposition in 2016. In 2018, he won against Republican Joseph Schneider with 65.2% of the vote. In 2020, he won his primary with 78% of the vote. He then defeated Republican John Paul Moran with 65.4%. In 2022, Moulton won re-election with 62.9% of the vote. He did not debate his opponent, Bob May. Moulton called May an "election denier" for not accepting the 2020 presidential election results. Moulton also won re-election in 2024 without opposition.

Moulton's Time in Congress

Moulton was sworn into Congress on January 3, 2015. After the 2018 elections, Democrats gained control of the House. Moulton was part of a group who wanted new leadership. They felt the current leaders were "too old." However, Nancy Pelosi was re-elected as Speaker. Moulton voted for her.

In August 2021, Moulton flew to Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan. This was during the evacuation of Americans after the fall of Kabul. He went with another representative, Peter Meijer. They said their visit was to help the Biden administration. However, some officials said it caused distractions. House Speaker Pelosi asked members not to travel to Afghanistan. Moulton defended his trip. He said, "I don’t care what pundits in Washington are saying...They’ve been wrong about this war for 20 years."

What Committees Does Moulton Serve On?

Moulton works on several important committees in the House.

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
  • Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
  • Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
  • Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
• Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party

Serve America PAC: Helping Others Serve

In 2017, Moulton started Serve America. This is a political group that helps elect candidates. It focuses on people who have served their country. This often means military service. The group helps candidates connect and get advice.

In 2018, Serve America helped Democrats win more seats. They helped flip the U.S. House of Representatives. The group raised over $7.5 million for candidates. They supported 34 Democratic candidates. Eighteen of them were elected. Fifteen of these flipped seats from Republican to Democratic. This was more than half of the seats Democrats gained.

Serve America continued to support candidates in 2020 and 2022. They helped elect new candidates like Mark Kelly and Jake Auchincloss. They also supported many candidates who were already in office.

Seth Moulton's 2020 Presidential Campaign

Moulton's 2020 presidential campaign logo

In early 2019, Moulton considered running for president. He traveled to states like Iowa and New Hampshire. These states hold early primary elections.

He officially announced his campaign on April 22, 2019. However, he stopped his campaign on August 23, 2019. He never polled higher than 2% in surveys. He also did not qualify for the first two presidential debates.

After he withdrew, President Donald Trump joked about it. Trump tweeted that the stock market was down because Moulton dropped out.

Seth Moulton's Political Views

Moulton has called himself a "progressive Democrat." He also describes himself as "pragmatic" and "frustrated." He is part of the New Democrat Coalition. This group of Democrats calls themselves "moderate" and "fiscally responsible."

He was ranked as one of the most bipartisan members of Congress. This means he often works with members of the opposite party.

Views on the Economy

Moulton is very focused on how automation will affect jobs. He believes it will impact working-class communities the most. In 2015, he supported raising the federal minimum wage to $12 an hour. By 2019, he supported raising it to $15 an hour.

He criticized Trump's decision to leave the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Moulton said he would re-negotiate a strong trade deal. He also disagreed with Trump's use of tariffs. He believes in a broader strategy for trade.

Views on Foreign Policy

Moulton did not support sending U.S. troops back to Iraq in 2014. He supports making NATO stronger against Russia. He also believed troops should stay in Afghanistan temporarily for counter-terrorism.

He criticized President Joe Biden for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. He pointed to the chaotic evacuation of Afghans who helped the U.S. He later helped create a law to provide benefits to Afghan allies.

Views on Social Issues

Moulton supports legal immigration. He wants to improve immigration laws. However, he opposes illegal immigration. He says it is "something we have to confront."

Views on Mental Health

Moulton introduced the Brandon Act. This law aims to improve mental health support for active duty service members. In 2019, Moulton shared that he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This was from his time in the Marine Corps.

Views on Cybersecurity

In 2018, Moulton helped create the "Cyber Ready Workforce Act." This law would help train people for cybersecurity jobs. It aims to increase the number of workers for federal cybersecurity roles.

Views on Voting Age

In January 2023, Moulton supported an amendment to the Constitution of the United States. This amendment would allow citizens aged 16 or older to vote.

Views on Energy Policy

Moulton supports more renewable energy. He wants to make the energy system more diverse. He supports carbon pricing. He also supports banning fossil fuel extraction on federal lands. He voted for the Inflation Reduction Act. This law provides a lot of money for renewable energy. Moulton also supports nuclear energy. He called it a "safe, good investment." He also wants more research into fusion power.

Views on Environmental Policy

In 2018, Moulton supported the Green New Deal. He sees climate change as a threat to national security. He believes the deal would bring economic and environmental benefits. He also voted for the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act in 2019. This is a major conservation bill.

Views on President Trump

In 2016, Moulton compared Donald Trump's rise to power to Adolf Hitler's rise to power. He said people should read about how Germans elected Hitler. This helps understand how an educated society can elect a "demagogue."

Moulton walked out of Trump's 2020 State of the Union address. He left when Trump spoke about the military. Moulton said Trump, a "draft dodger," had mocked military figures.

Views on Gun Policy

In 2016, Moulton was on the cover of the New York Daily News. The headline was "No Civilian Should Own This Gun." This referred to semi-automatic assault weapons. The cover showed Moulton with an M4 carbine in Iraq.

Moulton wrote an article supporting gun control. He stated, "There's simply no reason for a civilian to own a military-style assault weapon." He compared it to outlawing civilian ownership of rockets.

Seth Moulton's Family Life

On June 23, 2017, Moulton announced his engagement to Liz Boardman. She worked at an executive search firm. They married on September 22, 2017, in Marblehead, Massachusetts. She took his last name, becoming Liz Moulton. Their first child was born in October 2018. Their second child was born in February 2021.

Images for kids

• 

  Moulton's 2020 presidential campaign logo