McGovern first ran for Congress in 1994, running in a crowded Democratic primary to represent the area then defined as Massachusetts's 3rd district. The district, located in central and southeastern Massachusetts, included parts of Bristol, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Worcester counties–essentially, the heart of the MetroWest region. During the campaign McGovern asserted that his record as "a Washington insider" would make him a more effective representative. Despite endorsements from George McGovern, Joe Moakley, and presidential aide George Stephanopoulos, McGovern lost in the primary to Massachusetts State Representative Kevin O'Sullivan, who then lost to freshman Republican incumbent Peter Blute.