Massachusetts liberal is a phrase in American politics which is generally used as a derogatory political epithet by Republicans against Democrats who are from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It was most significantly used in the 1988 presidential race by then–Vice President George H. W. Bush against Governor Michael Dukakis, and again in the 2004 presidential race by then-President George W. Bush against Senator John Kerry (who was Dukakis's lieutenant Governor). The Democratic presidential candidates (Dukakis, Kerry) lost both presidential races. In the Republican 2012 presidential primary election, Newt Gingrich used the phrase "Massachusetts moderate," based on the liberal pejorative, repeatedly against Mitt Romney, the former Governor of Massachusetts, whose main residence was a mansion in the state. Romney went on to win the nomination, but lost the presidential election. Massachusetts is one of the most liberal and Democratic-leaning states in the country. It was the first state where same-sex marriage became legal in 2004. It has the highest percentage of adults with college degrees of any state in the country.

[Percent of self-identified liberals by state in 2018, according to a Gallup poll. Massachusetts had one of the highest percentages. {{legend|#0f0fd6;|32% and above}}{{legend|#3333ff;|28–31%}}{{legend|#7373ff;|24–27%}}{{legend|#9f9fff;|20–23%}}{{legend|#bbbbff;|16–19%}}{{legend|#dcdcff;|15% and under|undefined | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Self-identified///liberals///2018///Gallup.svg]

Meanings of the phrase

The idea behind the usage of the phrase is that the state of Massachusetts is "against the mainstream" in comparison to other states. Jane Elmes-Crahall, a professor who studies political rhetoric, has said, in swing and red states, "It [the phrase] still signals the antithesis of their [swing- and red-state] social and economic values." Hence, it is believed, voters in these states are unlikely to support a Democratic nominee that they believe to be a "Massachusetts liberal." There are several specific ideologies that are implied in the phrase: