Democrats held their convention in Boston this July. Hometown Sen. John Kerry was nominated by his party for president. In 2002 he won re-election and became the first Massachusetts senator in 80 years with no major-party opposition.

There is little suspense in the state in the presidential election _ or in almost any of the higher-profile races to hit the ballot this November. Massachusetts has not elected a Republican for president since Ronald Reagan in 1984.

The greater political race my wind up being over who will fill Kerry's seat, should he win the White House.

In Congress, all 10 incumbent Democratic representatives are hoping to return for another term, with Republicans mounting challenges in only half the races. One of those contests is garnering more attention than most _ that of the 3rd District.

That race is likely to be a showdown between four-term Congressman James McGovern and Republican Ron Crews, who gained prominence as the leader in the battle against gay marriage. Crews, a former Georgia state legislator, until recently served as president of the Massachusetts Family Institute.

Massachusetts became one of the first states in the nation to allow gay marriage on May 17, 2004. The state's Supreme Judicial Court ruled it was unconstitutional to deny licenses to same-sex couples. Conservative groups and lawmakers are hoping a federal appeals court will ban the practice.

After out-of-state gay couples came to the Massachusetts to get married, Republican Gov. Mitt Romney discouraged the practice, saying such marriages are forbidden under a 1913 state law that bars all unions that would not be legal in a couple's home state. Romney also threatened unspecified legal action against town clerks who violate his instructions.

Romney is the state's newest chief officer and has been in office since 2002. The former Winter Olympics chief beat Democratic state Treasurer Shannon O'Brien. GOP acting Governor Jane Swift dropped out when Romney decided to get in.

In the 2002 House races, Democrats kept all of their seats, with incumbents winning all four contested races.