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,