Why did Massachusetts not shift to the left as much as other Northeastern states in 2008?

[WalterWhite]

In 2008, every Northeastern state shifted to the left.

Maine shifted to the left by 8.3%.

New Hampshire shifted to the left by 8.2%.

Vermont shifted to the left by 16.9%.

New York shifted to the left by 8.6%.

Connecticut shifted to the left by 12.0%.

Rhode Island shifted to the left by 7.1%.

New Jersey shifted to the left by 8.9%.

Pennsylvania shifted to the left by 7.8%.

However, Massachusetts only shifted to the left by 0.8%. Every other Northeastern state shifted to the left by more than 7%, so why not Massachusetts?

[E-Dawg]

In 2008, every Northeastern state shifted to the left.

Maine shifted to the left by 8.3%.

New Hampshire shifted to the left by 8.2%.

Vermont shifted to the left by 16.9%.

New York shifted to the left by 8.6%.

Connecticut shifted to the left by 12.0%.

Rhode Island shifted to the left by 7.1%.

New Jersey shifted to the left by 8.9%.

Pennsylvania shifted to the left by 7.8%.

However, Massachusetts only shifted to the left by 0.8%. Every other Northeastern state shifted to the left by more than 7%, so why not Massachusetts?

I'm sure that Kerry was helped out in Massachusetts by being a longtime senator from the state, so Obama had less room to grow in 2008.

[WalterWhite]

In 2008, every Northeastern state shifted to the left.

Maine shifted to the left by 8.3%.

New Hampshire shifted to the left by 8.2%.

Vermont shifted to the left by 16.9%.

New York shifted to the left by 8.6%.

Connecticut shifted to the left by 12.0%.

Rhode Island shifted to the left by 7.1%.

New Jersey shifted to the left by 8.9%.

Pennsylvania shifted to the left by 7.8%.

However, Massachusetts only shifted to the left by 0.8%. Every other Northeastern state shifted to the left by more than 7%, so why not Massachusetts?

I'm sure that Kerry was helped out in Massachusetts by being a longtime senator from the state, so Obama had less room to grow in 2008.

Massachusetts actually shifted to the right from 2000 to 2004, so maybe the Kerry factor is not that major.

[TransfemmeGoreVidal]

There’s actually a surprising number of Kerry-McCain towns in MA. I don’t think it’s just a matter of Kerry having a home state advantage, some Boston suburbs just do have a genuinely racist voting history. Many of these same towns are places where George Wallace got like 20-30% of the vote in the 1972 Democratic primary.

[TDAS04]

Massachusetts actually shifted to the right from 2000 to 2004, so maybe the Kerry factor is not that major.

Kerry was still a factor though. Al Gore performed unusually well, even for a Democrat, throughout the urban Northeast. Take a look at how much Bush improved upon his 2000 performances in NY, NJ, CT, and RI. The 2004 swing in Massachusetts was considerably smaller in comparison, so it is not implausible to conclude that the Kerry home state factor mitigated the the swing towards Bush in the Bay State.

[Blow by blow, the passion dies]

Kerry being off the ballot.

[TransfemmeGoreVidal]

Massachusetts actually shifted to the right from 2000 to 2004, so maybe the Kerry factor is not that major.

Kerry was still a factor though. Al Gore performed unusually well, even for a Democrat, throughout the urban Northeast. Take a look at how much Bush improved upon his 2000 performances in NY, NJ, CT, and RI. The 2004 swing in Massachusetts was considerably smaller in comparison, so it is not implausible to conclude that the Kerry home state factor mitigated the the swing towards Bush in the Bay State.

2004 was the last hurrah of Republicans doing well in northeastern suburbs. Prior to the financial collapse and the nomination of Palin it might have seemed feasible that a candidate with more secular appeal like McCain would have done even better.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Kerry was a factor, but there's also, uh, a softer version of what happened in Arkansas and West Virginia and Tennessee.

[WalterWhite]

Kerry was a factor, but there's also, uh, a softer version of what happened in Arkansas and West Virginia and Tennessee.

I do not think there are a lot of Blue Dog Democrats in Massachusetts.