The 1994 Massachusetts gubernatorial election was held on November 8, 1994. Incumbent Republican governor Bill Weld won re-election as governor of Massachusetts by the largest margin in state history, winning every county and all but six of the state's 351 municipalities. As of 2024, this is the most recent election in which Boston, Somerville, Lawrence, Chelsea, Brookline, Northampton, Provincetown, Monterey, Great Barrington, Ashfield, Williamstown, Williamsburg, Shelburne, Sunderland, and Pelham voted for the Republican candidate for governor.
Republican primary Governor Candidates Bill Weld, incumbent governor
Lieutenant governor Candidates Paul Cellucci, incumbent lieutenant governor
Incumbent governor Bill Weld and Lieutenant Governor Paul Cellucci were unopposed for renomination.
Democratic primary Governor Candidates George A. Bachrach, former state senator from Watertown Michael J. Barrett, state senator from Cambridge Mark Roosevelt, state representative from the Back Bay and member of the Roosevelt family
In 1987, Barrett succeeded Bachrach as the senator from the Middlesex and Suffolk District. The district was composed of Cambridge, Belmont, Watertown, and the Allston-Brighton neighborhood of Boston.
Declined Joseph P. Kennedy II, U.S. representative (1987–1999) In 1993, a Boston Globe poll showed Kennedy within one percentage point of popular incumbent William Weld in a hypothetical gubernatorial match-up, prompting prominent state Democrats to try and recruit him for the race. Though no other Democrat was polling near Weld, Kennedy decided to forgo the race and remain in Congress.
Results
Lieutenant governor Candidates Bob Massie, activist Marc Draisen, state representative from Roslindale
Results
General election
Debates + 1994 Massachusetts gubernatorial election debates Date Host Moderator Link Republican DemocraticKey: Participant Absent Not invited Invited Withdrawn Bill Weld Mark Roosevelt1 Oct. 18. 1994 Boston HeraldWCVB-TV Natalie Jacobson C-SPAN 2 Oct. 26. 1994 The Boston GlobeWBZ-TV Liz WalkerJack Williams C-SPAN
Polling Source Date Weld (R) Roosevelt (D) Boston Herald Oct. 2, 1994 60% 29%
Results Governor Weld defeated Democrat Mark Roosevelt by a 71%–28% margin, the largest gubernatorial margin of victory in modern Massachusetts history. Roosevelt won only six municipalities statewide (Amherst, Cambridge, Leverett, Otis, Shutesbury and Wendell). All six municipalities voted for Weld in 1990, meaning that he won every municipality in the state in a gubernatorial election.
Results by county 1994 United States gubernatorial election in Massachusetts (by county) County Weld - R % Weld - R # Roosevelt - D % Roosevelt - D # Others % Others # Total #Barnstable 74.7% 68,719 24.6% 22,576 0.7% 662 91,957Berkshire 62.6% 30,430 36.3% 17,618 1.1% 553 48,601Bristol 66.2% 105,751 32.4% 51,702 1.4% 2,188 159,641Dukes 64.3% 3,748 34.4% 2,007 1.3% 77 5,832Essex 74.5% 189,618 24.7% 63,019 0.7% 1,935 254,542Franklin 68.0% 18,226 30.7% 8,217 1.2% 345 26,788Hampden 75.1% 109,631 23.9% 34,860 1.1% 1,526 146,017Hampshire 64.1% 33,965 34.8% 18,449 1.1% 613 53,027Middlesex 69.7% 376,503 29.5% 159,190 0.8% 4,445 540,138Nantucket 72.4% 2,131 27.0% 794 0.6% 17 2,942Norfolk 71.6% 187,155 27.7% 72,479 0.7% 1,877 261,511Plymouth 75.5% 123,320 23.7% 38,747 0.8% 1,338 163,405Suffolk 60.4% 99,615 38.6% 63,716 1.1% 1,715 165,046Worcester 75.4% 184,578 23.8% 58,306 0.7% 1,947 244,831 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Berkshire Bristol Dukes Hampden Suffolk
See also 1993–1994 Massachusetts legislature, for the legislature at the time of this election 1995–1996 Massachusetts legislature, for the legislature elected concurrently 1994 Massachusetts elections, for other elections held concurrently
References