Inside the hall, Kerry struck a tone of unity after a campaign in which both candidates often focused more on their opponents’ weaknesses than their own strengths.

“Now, more than ever, with our soldiers in harm’s way,” he said, “we must stand together and succeed in Iraq and win the war on terror.”

For Kerry, it was his first political loss since 1970, when voters in Massachusetts’ Third District squashed his bid for the Democratic congressional nomination. But the Bay State gave Kerry the nod for lieutenant governor in 1982, and two years later, he was elected to the U.S. Senate seat which he has held ever since.

Massachusetts—or “Taxachusetts,” in the Republican parlance—appeared to be a significant liability for Kerry, who at times struggled to defend himself against Bush campaign attacks on his liberal Senate record.

Nationwide, just 21 percent of voters identified themselves as liberal, compared with 34 percent who said they were conservative, according to exit polls conducted by the Associated Press.

—Staff writer Zachary M. Seward can be reached at seward@fas.harvard.edu.