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Although once a bastion of social conservatism (the term "Banned in Boston" is still in widespread use) Massachusetts is known as one of the most [[liberal]] states in the Union, being the most populous state to have all-Democratic congressional representation.  It is by some called "Taxachusetts" because of its high tax rate.{{fact}}  Its current senators are [[John Kerry]] (who unsuccessfully ran for [[President]] in 2004) and [[Ted Kennedy]].  Massachusetts was the first (and so far only) state to legalize [[same-sex marriage]], resulting in the clever play on the state's nick name "The Gay State".  Although governed by a succession of Republican governors in the 1990s and 2000s ([[William Weld]], [[Paul Cellucci]], [[Jane Swift]] and [[Mitt Romney]]), they have generally been among the most liberal Republican governors in the country.

Although once a bastion of social conservatism (the term "Banned in Boston" is still in widespread use) Massachusetts is known as one of the most [[liberal]] states in the Union, being the most populous state to have all-Democratic congressional representation.  It is by some called "Taxachusetts" because of its high tax rate.{{fact}}  Its current senators are [[John Kerry]] (who unsuccessfully ran for [[President]] in 2004) and [[Ted Kennedy]].  Massachusetts was the first (and so far only) state to legalize [[same-sex marriage]], resulting in the clever play on the state's nick name "The Gay State".  Although governed by a succession of Republican governors in the 1990s and 2000s ([[William Weld]], [[Paul Cellucci]], [[Jane Swift]] and [[Mitt Romney]]), they have generally been among the most liberal Republican governors in the country.

The current governor, elected in 2006 over Republican and former Lieutenant Governor Kerry Murphy Healey,<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/local/politics/candidates/governor/patrick/</ref> is Deval L. Patrick, who was the first Democrat to take the office in 16 years, and the first African American to win the post.<ref>http://www.mass.gov/</ref><ref>http://www.nndb.com/gov/911/000051758/</ref>

The current governor, elected in 2006 over Republican and former Lieutenant Governor Kerry Murphy Healey,<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/local/politics/candidates/governor/patrick/</ref> is [[Deval Patrick|Deval L. Patrick]], who was the first Democrat to take the office in 16 years, and the first African American to win the post.<ref>http://www.mass.gov/</ref><ref>http://www.nndb.com/gov/911/000051758/</ref>

==Notes and references==

==Notes and references==