1 9 6 2 ▁and ▁would ▁hold ▁that ▁seat ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁Since ▁Kennedy ' s ▁victory ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁only ▁one ▁Republican ▁president ial ▁candidate , ▁Ron ald ▁Re agan , ▁has ▁carried ▁Massachusetts . ▁ ▁Liberal ▁and ▁moder ate ▁Republic ans ▁still ▁experienced ▁some ▁success ▁at ▁the ▁state ▁level . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁Edward ▁Bro oke ▁won ▁a ▁lands lide ▁victory ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁first ▁popular ly - elect ed ▁black ▁United ▁States ▁Senator . ▁Republic ans ▁John ▁Vol pe ▁and ▁Elli ot ▁Richard son ▁also ▁won ▁lands lide ▁vict ories ▁in ▁the ▁governor ' s ▁race ▁and ▁att orney ▁general ' s ▁races , ▁respectively . ▁Bro oke ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁by ▁a ▁large ▁margin ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁Republic ans ▁lost ▁their ▁remaining ▁Senate ▁seat ▁when ▁Paul ▁Ts ong as ▁un se ated ▁Bro oke . ▁On ▁the ▁state ▁level , ▁Democr ats ▁would ▁take ▁super - major ities ▁in ▁both ▁houses ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁legisl ature , ▁and ▁would ▁domin ate ▁the ▁governor ship ▁for ▁ 2 2 ▁years ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 4 - year ▁period ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁ ▁Modern ▁era ▁( 1 9 8 0 – 1 9 9 9 ) ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁Republican ▁president ial ▁nom ine e