1966 United States Senate election in Massachusetts

Republican primary

Candidates

• Edward Brooke, Massachusetts Attorney General since 1963
• J. Alan MacKay, Boston attorney and founding member of Young Americans for Freedom

Declined

• Leverett Saltonstall, incumbent Senator since 1945

Campaign

MacKay campaigned against Brooke for refusing to back Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign. During the first stage of the campaign, conservative spokespersons engaged in an anti-Brooke publicity and letter-writing campaign. Conservatives were particularly critical of Brooke's book, The Challenge of Change. A critical review of the book was mailed to all Republican convention delegates along with a questionnaire linking Brooke's views to the Communist Party and Americans for Democratic Action. A third mailing went out accusing Brooke of participating in "the phony Great Society schemes of L.B.J. and his curious crew."

However, conservative attacks were blunted when Goldwater endorsed Brooke in May and made a $100 donation to his campaign. Brooke also received the support of George W. Romney, a leading contender for the presidency in 1968.

In advance of the convention, Brooke asked the party to endorse the United States effort in Vietnam and the recent Supreme Court decision regarding the rights of detainees in Miranda v. Arizona. McKay argued for a more aggressive bombing campaign in Southeast Asia and criticized Miranda as "rendering more difficult the proper enforcement of our laws."

Results

Brooke won the party endorsement at the June 25 convention and was unopposed in the September primary.

Following the result, which precluded MacKay from seeking a primary challenge, Brooke declared, "This is a proud moment in my life, a moment which has no parallel."

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Thomas Boylston Adams, academic and member of the Adams political family
• John F. Collins, Mayor of Boston
• Endicott Peabody, former Governor of Massachusetts

Results

General election

Candidates

• Edward Brooke, Massachusetts Attorney General since 1963 (Republican)
• Lawrence Gilfedder, perennial candidate (Socialist Labor)
• Endicott Peabody, former Governor of Massachusetts (Democratic)
• Mark R. Shaw, perennial candidate and nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1964 (Prohibition)

Results

References

References

1. Rudin, Ken. (25 June 2010). "Flashback Friday: On This Day In 1966, Mass. GOP Backs Ed Brooke For Senate".
2. (16 Jun 1966). "Brooke Asks GOP Endorse Viet Nam Effort". [[The Boston Globe]].
3. (25 Jun 1966). "Editorial: Backlash Against Brooke". [[The Berkshire Eagle]].
4. Crepeau, Frank. (27 Jun 1966). "Volpe Calls Ticket the Best GOP Slate in Many, Many Years". Transcript-Telegram.
5. [http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=38347 Lawrence Gilfedder] at ourcampaigns.com