The 1966 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held on November 8, 1966. Republican incumbent Leverett Saltonstall retired after serving for 22 years. Republican Massachusetts Attorney General Edward Brooke defeated Democratic former Governor of Massachusetts Endicott Peabody in a landslide. Brooke was the first African-American U.S. Senator elected after the end of Reconstruction and the first ever popularly elected, as Reconstruction ended before the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Republican primary Candidates Edward Brooke, Massachusetts Attorney General since 1963 Alan MacKay, conservative activist Declined Leverett Saltonstall, incumbent Senator since 1945 Campaign MacKay campaigned against Brooke for refusing to back Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign. However, Goldwater endorsed Brooke in May. Results Brooke won the party endorsement at the June 25 convention and was unopposed in the September primary. Democratic primary Candidates Thomas Boylston Adams, academic and member of the Adams political family John F. Collins, Mayor of Boston Endicott Peabody, former Governor of Massachusetts Results General election Candidates Edward Brooke, Massachusetts Attorney General since 1963 (Republican) Lawrence Gilfedder, perennial candidate (Socialist Labor) Endicott Peabody, former Governor of Massachusetts (Democratic) Mark R. Shaw, perennial candidate and nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1964 (Prohibition) Results See also 1966 United States Senate elections References External links and references Race details at ourcampaigns.com United States Senate Massachusetts 1966