▁to ▁carry ▁Massachusetts ▁in ▁a ▁president ial ▁election ▁since ▁the ▁party ' s ▁foundation ▁a ▁century ▁prior . ▁▁ ▁With ▁the ▁emer gence ▁of ▁Franklin ▁Ro ose vel t ' s ▁New ▁De al ▁coal ition ▁and ▁the ▁growing ▁power ▁of ▁the ▁urban ▁and ▁Catholic ▁vote , ▁Massachusetts ▁produced ▁vict ories ▁for ▁Democratic ▁president ial ▁candidates ▁in ▁every ▁election ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁By ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s , ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁urban ▁and ▁sub urban ▁areas ▁of ▁Massachusetts ▁were ▁largely ▁Democratic , ▁leaving ▁just ▁a ▁few ▁po ckets ▁of ▁strongly ▁Republican ▁rural ▁areas ▁in ▁the ▁Cape ▁and ▁Islands ▁region ▁and ▁Western ▁Massachusetts . ▁ ▁Later ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁( 1 9 5 0 – 1 9 8 0 ) ▁ ▁Under ▁control ▁by ▁the ▁Kennedy ▁family ▁and ▁John ▁F . ▁Kennedy ▁in ▁particular , ▁the ▁state ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁gained ▁massive ▁popular ity ▁with ▁sub urban ▁business ▁interests ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁its ▁traditional ▁Catholic ▁and ▁imm igr ant ▁base . ▁Kennedy ' s ▁victory ▁over ▁inc umb ent ▁Henry ▁Cab ot ▁L odge , ▁Jr . ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁is ▁symbol ic ▁of ▁the ▁long - term ▁transition ▁of ▁power ▁from ▁Republican ▁to ▁Democratic ▁in ▁the ▁common wealth . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁successful ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁Democratic ▁candidate ▁for ▁president , ▁Kennedy ▁won ▁a ▁lands lide ▁victory ▁in ▁Massachusetts . ▁His ▁brother ▁Ted ▁Kennedy ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁vac ant ▁Senate ▁seat ▁in ▁