Massachusetts is a popular stop on the campaign trail, though Republican candidates face strong headwinds. In this Feb. 27, 1980 photo, Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy, appeared at a news conference in Andover. Reagan began talking cautiously about picking up delegates in such liberal strongholds as Massachusetts. “It’s very difficult for me to stand here and feel optimistic about the only state that went for McGovern,” Reagan told the gathering. He won the state, by a narrow margin.