Massachusetts in 1984

[SingingAnalyst]

While it is true nationwide that young college students were less Dem in 84 than in 72, that would not seem to explain the 6-point move toward the GOP 72-84. If anything, Mondale did better than McGovern in most towns and cities with a large university population: Cambridge, Brookline, Newton, Wellesley, Amherst, Northampton-- while doing much worse than McGovern in working class areas: South Boston, Waltham, Lowell, Somerville. Lingering white resentment of busing, which was not an issue pre-1974, probably did him in. On the other hand, the liberal, largely Jewish communities were largely pro-choice and supportive of a nuclear freeze, and opposed to Reagan (whereas they may have liked Nixon's foreign policy).

[SingingAnalyst]

Why are people so surprised that Reagan managed to win Massachusetts? There was a large economic rebound from the 1981-1982 recession and Massachusetts was one of those states that rebound really well.

Living in Cambridge, MA in 1984 I recall Mondale campaigning like crazy. His Fri Nov 2 speech on Boston Common drew 90,000. Mondale did as well as he could have under the circumstances; Americans were not going to have their 5th President in less than 11 years.