▁Ron ald ▁Re agan ▁carried ▁Massachusetts , ▁being ▁the ▁first ▁Republican ▁to ▁do ▁so ▁since ▁ 1 9 5 6 . ▁Massachusetts ▁Republic ans ▁hoped ▁his ▁victory ▁us her ed ▁in ▁what ▁appeared ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁new ▁era ▁for ▁Republic ans ▁in ▁the ▁state . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁un pop ular ity ▁of ▁then ▁Governor ▁Michael ▁D uk ak is ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁last ▁term ▁in ▁office , ▁Republic ans ▁led ▁by ▁g ubern atorial ▁candidate ▁William ▁W eld ▁er ased ▁the ▁Democratic ▁super - major ities ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁legisl ature . ▁However , ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Sil v io ▁Con te ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁( and ▁his ▁succession ▁by ▁Dem ocrat ▁John ▁Ol ver ) ▁also ▁meant ▁that ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time , ▁every ▁federal ▁elected ▁official ▁in ▁Massachusetts ▁was ▁a ▁Dem ocrat . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁Peter ▁Bl ute ▁and ▁Peter ▁T ork ild sen ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁fresh man ▁Republic ans ▁elected ▁to ▁Congress ▁from ▁Massachusetts ▁since ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁The ▁hope ▁of ▁a ▁Republican ▁r ena issance ▁in ▁Massachusetts ▁largely ▁diss ip ated ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁when ▁W eld ▁failed ▁in ▁his ▁attempt ▁to ▁un se at ▁Senator ▁John ▁Ker ry ▁and ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ans ▁g ains ▁in ▁the ▁State ▁Legisl ature ▁were ▁er ased . ▁Both ▁T ork ild sen ▁and ▁Bl ute ▁were ▁defeated . ▁▁ 2 1 st