Massachusetts voters to decide ballot questions, Senate race
BOSTON (AP) — It's not just about the White House.
A statewide referendum that would transform the way ballots are cast and tallied in Massachusetts, and a bid by incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Edward Markey for another six-year term, will be dominating Tuesday’s election in the Bay State.
A glance at the races and issues Massachusetts voters are deciding:
PRESIDENT
In 1972, Massachusetts famously was the only state to back Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern over Republican incumbent Richard Nixon. Since then, the only Republican presidential candidate to carry the state has been Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. Hillary Clinton handily defeated Donald Trump in 2016, capturing nearly 61 percent of the vote. Massachusetts has 11 electoral votes.
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U.S. SENATE
Markey is hoping to fend off a challenge from Republican Kevin O’Connor, a lawyer from Dover who's pitched himself as a candidate who can help clean house in Washington.
The 74-year-old Markey has served for decades in Congress, first in the House and later in the Senate. He faced one of the highest-profile challenges of his career earlier this year when Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III tried unsuccessfully to oust him during the Democratic primary.
The state’s other U.S. senator — Democrat Elizabeth Warren — isn’t up for reelection until 2024.
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HOUSE DISTRICT 2
Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern, who represents the state’s 2nd Congressional District, is hoping to defeat GOP challenger Tracy Lovvorn. McGovern, first elected to the U.S. House in 1996, is chair of the House Rules Committee and senior member of the Subcommittee on Nutrition and Oversight. Lovvorn describes herself as “a mother, a healthcare provider, an operational...