When incumbent Democratic Congressman Richard Neal ran for a ninth term, he faced no opposition and coasted to re-election.

This historically liberal district,[2] which stretches from the western suburbs of Boston to the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border, has sent Congressman McGovern back to Congress with overwhelming margins of victory.

Congressman Barney Frank, a Democrat, has represented this strongly liberal[2] district, which extends from Quincy to the South Coast, since he was initially elected in 1980.

This district, which covers some of the northern suburbs of Boston and the far northeastern portion of the commonwealth, has been represented by Democratic Congressman John Tierney for eight years.

Opposed by Republican Michael Jones, incumbent Democratic Congressman Bill Delahunt sought a fifth term in this district based in the South Shore, Cape Cod and the Islands.