▁century ▁ ▁Despite ▁heavy ▁losses ▁at ▁all ▁levels ▁of ▁government ▁and ▁a ▁steady ▁decrease ▁in ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁national ▁party , ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁Republican ▁Party ▁has ▁been ▁able ▁to ▁maintain ▁control ▁over ▁the ▁governor ' s ▁office . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁the ▁governor ' s ▁office ▁has ▁been ▁consist ently ▁held ▁by ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁Republic ans , ▁only ▁interrupted ▁by ▁the ▁governor ship ▁of ▁De val ▁Patrick ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Republic ans ▁won ▁a ▁shock ▁victory ▁when ▁Scott ▁Brown ▁defeated ▁Democratic ▁candidate ▁Mar tha ▁Co ak ley ▁in ▁a ▁special ▁election ▁to ▁succeed ▁Senator ▁Ted ▁Kennedy . ▁Brown ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Republican ▁to ▁represent ▁Massachusetts ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁in ▁Congress ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁However , ▁Brown ▁lost ▁his ▁bid ▁for ▁a ▁full ▁six - year ▁term ▁to ▁Democratic ▁ch allen ger ▁Elizabeth ▁Warren ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁Republican ▁Charlie ▁Baker ▁was ▁elected ▁Governor , ▁defe ating ▁Democratic ▁nom ine e ▁Mar tha ▁Co ak ley ▁and ▁returning ▁the ▁office ▁to ▁Republican ▁control ▁after ▁eight ▁years . ▁Through out ▁his ▁first ▁term , ▁Baker ▁consist ently ▁pol led ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁popular ▁governor ▁in ▁the ▁nation . ▁He ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁by ▁a ▁large ▁margin ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁However , ▁Republic