1980 Massachusetts Democratic presidential primary

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112 pledged delegates to the1980 Democratic National Convention
Candidate Ted Kennedy Jimmy Carter Home state Massachusetts Georgia Delegate count 78 34 Popular vote 590,404 260,391 Percentage 65.07% 28.70%
County results Municipality results Kennedy   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80%   80–90% Carter   30–40%   40–50%   50–60%   60–70%   70–80% Tie   40–50%

The1980 Massachusetts Democratic presidential primary was held on March 4, 1980. As part ofthe 1980 Democratic Party presidential primaries for the1980 United States presidential election, this was the fourth primary sinceIowa, Maine andNew Hampshire. 112 pledged delegates to the1980 Democratic National Convention were allocated to presidential candidates.U.S. SenatorTed Kennedy defeated incumbentPresidentJimmy Carter surprised by 78 pledged delegates and 590,404 popular votes. Kennedy defeated Carter in his home state.^[1]

This marked an incumbent President lost to a primary since the1964 Democratic Party presidential primaries when PresidentLyndon Johnson lost toGeorge Wallace inWashington D.C by unpleged delegates.Jimmy Carter perhaps became the last President who lost a primary while during incumbent until incumbent PresidentJoe Biden lost toJason Palmer in the2024 American Samoa Democratic presidential caucus.^[2]

U.S. SenatorTed Kennedy, the younger brother of former PresidentJohn F. Kennedy and also the father of U.S. RepresentativePatrick J. Kennedy, defeated incumbent PresidentJimmy Carter by 78 pledged delegates fromMassachusetts with 590,404 popular votes (65.07%) while Carter received 34 pledged delegates and 260,391 popular votes (28.70%), another candidate,Jerry Brown,Governor of California, received 31,488 popular votes (3.47%), marking firstTed Kennedy's primary win.^[3][4]

• 1980 Democratic Party presidential primaries
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