McKinley was able to win every county in the state of Massachusetts, including a rare Republican victory in Suffolk County, home to the state's capital and largest city, Boston. Bryan, running on a platform of free silver, appealed strongly to Western miners and farmers in the 1896 election, but had little appeal in the Northeastern states such as Massachusetts. Bryan would win Suffolk County during his rematch with McKinley in 1900 but would lose it again to William Howard Taft in 1908 (in both such elections, Bryan lost the state at-large).
With 69.47% of the popular vote, Massachusetts would be McKinley's second strongest victory in terms of percentage in the popular vote after neighboring Vermont.[2]
This was the last occasion until 1984 that a Republican won the town of Blackstone in a presidential election.
Results
1896 United States presidential election in Massachusetts[3]