Dukakis Is the Oldest Living Former Massachusetts Governor

Mike Dukakis has been the pride and the humiliation of Democrats in Massachusetts and the nation at various times during his long political career. He seems to be at peace these days with his party, however, and they with him, following a life well-lived in the public spotlight.

Michael Stanley Dukakis was born on November 3, 1933, in Brookline, Massachusetts. He served three terms as Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts before winning the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 1988.

Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen of Texas lost to the Republican team of George H.W. Bush and Dan Quayle in a landslide election. Dukakis was labelled a "technocrat" by some observers and seemed to lack emotion and depth, even when asked during a debate whether he would support the death penalty should his wife, Kitty, be raped and murdered.

Dukakis replied that he would not. The race was over.

Dukakis, who retired from teaching in 2024, will be 92 in November. He remains active as an advisor to the Massachusetts Democratic Party. Kitty passed away this year. The couple had been married for 62 years.

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Dukakis is the oldest of the six still-living former governors of Massachusetts by a long shot. William Weld is the second oldest at 80, followed by Mitt Romney at 78, Deval Patrick at 69, Charlie Baker at 68, and Jane Swift, who is 60.

Four of the still-living former governors are Republicans, and two are Democrats.

Dukakis served as Governor of Massachusetts from 1975 to 1979 and from 1983 to 1991.