1984 United States Senate election in Massachusetts
The 1984 United States Senate election in Massachusetts was held on November 6, to elect a member of the U.S. Senate from the State of Massachusetts. The election was won by Democrat John Kerry, the Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, who remained Senator until 2013, when he resigned to become United States Secretary of State. One-term incumbent Democratic Senator Paul Tsongas declined to seek re-election after developing cancer. Democratic primary Candidates Declared David M. Bartley, Secretary of Administration and Finance and former Massachusetts Speaker of the House Michael Connolly, Secretary of the Commonwealth John Kerry, Lieutenant Governor James Shannon, U.S. Representative from Lawrence Withdrew Ed Markey, U.S. Representative from Malden Declined Francis Bellotti, former Massachusetts Attorney General William Bulger, President of the Massachusetts Senate Michael Dukakis, incumbent Governor Edward J. King, former Governor Paul Tsongas, incumbent Senator To the surprise of many, incumbent Senator Paul Tsongas retired, despite his very young age and popularity. Tsongas disclosed his diagnosis with lymphoma in January, and cited his desire to spend more time with his family. By the month's end, four Democratic candidates announced they would run to succeed Tsongas. On the day of Tsongas's retirement, Secretary of the Commonwealth Michael J. Connolly said, "I expect to be a candidate for the U.S. Senate." The first major candidate to declare was Edward Markey, a four-term representative from Malden who had become nationally famous as a leading advocate for a nuclear freeze. He was followed by former Massachusetts House Speaker David Bartley and Lieutenant Governor John Kerry. In early February, Rep. James Shannon declared his candidacy. Shannon was already Tsongas's successor in Congress as the representative from the Lowell and Merrimack Valley seat. He boasted the support of Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill, and hoped to win the endorsement of Governor Michael Dukakis, whom he had supported in the contentious 1978 primary. Campaign In early May, Markey shook up the race by announcing that he would withdraw to stand for re-election to his House seat. Markey would go on to successfully run for the seat in 2013, after Kerry's resignation in order to become U.S. Secretary of State under the Obama administration. Shannon got another boost when he won the endorsement of the Massachusetts Democratic Convention, with 53 percent of the delegates. With O'Neill's support, Shannon secured the support of feminists and organized labor. By June, the race shaped up as a two-way contest between Shannon and John Kerry, who was the only candidate with statewide experience and recognition. Despite Shannon's victory at the convention, polls showed that Kerry led by nine points among likely primary voters. Polling also showed that Kerry matched up best with Elliot Richardson, the leading Republican candidate. Both candidates focused their attacks on Elliot Richardson, with Shannon stressing that Richardson would be an ineffective representative. Kerry, a prominent anti-war activist and veteran, criticized Richardson for his support of President Nixon's strategy in Vietnam and the bombing of Cambodia. Results Kerry won a close race against Shannon by 24,529 votes,