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'''United States House of Representatives, Indiana District 8''' or '''The Bloody Eighth''' as it is it locally (and sometimes nationally) referred (See below for explanation), is a [[List of United States Congressional districts|district]] of the [[United States Congress]] in [[Southwestern Indiana|southwestern]] and west central [[Indiana]]. Based in [[Evansville, Indiana|Evansville]], it was widened when Indiana lost a seat after the [[United States Census, 2000|2000 Census]] to include much of the former 5th and 7th Districts. At that time, [[Bloomington, Indiana|Bloomington]] (the home of former representative [[Frank McCloskey]])
'''Indiana's 8th congressional district''' is a [[congressional district]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Indiana]]. Based in [[Southwestern Indiana|Southwest]] and west central Indiana, the district is anchored in [[Evansville, Indiana|Evansville]] and also includes [[Terre Haute, Indiana|Terre Haute]], [[Vincennes, Indiana|Vincennes]] and [[Washington, Indiana|Washington]].

was moved into the 9th District, while the 8th was extended northward to include much of the former 7th district in west-central Indiana, including [[Terre Haute, Indiana|Terre Haute]]. As a result of this expansion, the district is the largest in area in Indiana with all or part of 18 Indiana Counties.
Commonly referred to as "The Bloody Eighth" at the local (and sometimes national) levels (See below for explanation), it is a major [[swing district]].


== Counties located in Indiana's 8th Congressional District ==
== Counties located in Indiana's 8th Congressional District ==
Line 87: Line 88:
==History==
==History==
[[Image:IN-CD-Changes.PNG|thumb|200 px|right|Indiana congressional districts before and after the most recent redistricting]]
[[Image:IN-CD-Changes.PNG|thumb|200 px|right|Indiana congressional districts before and after the most recent redistricting]]
Based in [[Evansville, Indiana|Evansville]], the 8th Congressional District was widened when Indiana lost a seat after the [[United States Census, 2000|2000 U.S. Census]] to include much of the former 5th and 7th Congressional Districts. At that time, [[Bloomington, Indiana|Bloomington]] (the home of former [[U.S. Representative]] [[Frank McCloskey]]) was moved into the 9th Congressional District, while the 8th Congressional District was extended northward to include much of the former 7th Congressional District in west-central Indiana, including [[Terre Haute, Indiana|Terre Haute]]. As a result of this expansion, the district is the largest in area in Indiana with all or part of 18 counties.
The district has been nicknamed the '''"Bloody Eighth"''' because of a series of hard-fought tight campaigns and political reversals. Unlike most other Indiana districts, which frequently give their congressmen long tenures in Washington, the 8th has a reputation for frequently ousting its incumbents.<ref>{{cite news | title=And They're Off And Running! | publisher=U.S. News & World Reports | url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060116/16candidate.htm | date=January 16, 2006 | accessdate=2007-01-07}}</ref> It ousted six incumbents from [[1966]] to [[1982]]. The election in [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1984|1984]] was so close that it was decided in Congress. Although southern Indiana is ancestrally Democratic, the Democrats in this area are nowhere near as liberal as their counterparts in the rest of the state. The district also has a strong tint of [[social conservatism]].


The district has been nicknamed '''"The Bloody Eighth"''' because of a series of hard-fought campaigns and political reversals. Unlike most other districts in the state, which frequently give their representatives long tenures in Washington, the 8th Congressional District has a reputation for frequently ousting its incumbents.<ref>{{cite news | title=And They're Off And Running! | publisher=U.S. News & World Reports | url=http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/060116/16candidate.htm | date=January 16, 2006 | accessdate=2007-01-07}}</ref> Voters in the district ousted six incumbents from [[1966]] to [[1982]]. The election in [[United States House of Representatives elections, 1984|1984]] was so close that it was decided in Congress. Although Southern Indiana is ancestrally Democratic, the Democrats in this area are nowhere near as liberal as their counterparts in the rest of the state. The district also has a strong tint of [[social conservatism]].
In 2000, a ''New York Times'' reporter said of the district: "With a populist streak and a conservative bent, this district does not cotton to [[Country club Republican|country-club Republicans]] or to social-engineering liberals," and also said "More than 95 percent white and about 41 percent rural, the region shares much of the flavor of the [[Bible Belt]]."<ref>Dirk Johnson, [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D00E5D8113CF933A25753C1A9669C8B63 "The 2000 Campaign: An Indiana Race; Conservatives Face Off in Quirky Populist District"], ''New York Times'', October 10, 2000</ref>


In 2000, a ''New York Times'' reporter said of the district: "With a populist streak and a conservative bent, this district does not cotton to [[Country club Republican|country club Republicans]] or to social-engineering liberals," and also said, "More than 95 percent white and about 41 percent rural, the region shares much of the flavor of the [[Bible Belt]]."<ref>Dirk Johnson, [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D00E5D8113CF933A25753C1A9669C8B63 "The 2000 Campaign: An Indiana Race; Conservatives Face Off in Quirky Populist District"], ''New York Times'', October 10, 2000</ref>
It is currently represented by [[Brad Ellsworth]], a conservative Democrat. As a result of Ellsworth's landslide defeat of 12-year incumbent [[John Hostettler]], it was the first district picked up by the Democrats on election night, 2006.<ref name="ExitPoll">{{cite web | title= Democrats pick up key House seat in Indiana | publisher=CNN.com | url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/07/election.house/index.html| accessdate=2007-01-07}}</ref> Ellsworth is retiring from this district after running for the [[US Senate]] in the 2010 election, and will be succeeded by Repubican [[Larry Bucshon]] in January, 2011.


The district was previously represented by [[Brad Ellsworth]], a conservative Democrat. As a result of Ellsworth's landslide defeat of 12-year [[incumbent]] [[John Hostettler]], it was the first district picked up by the Democrats on Election Night 2006.<ref name="ExitPoll">{{cite web | title= Democrats pick up key House seat in Indiana | publisher=CNN.com | url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/11/07/election.house/index.html| accessdate=2007-01-07}}</ref> Ellsworth resigned from this district after running for the [[U.S. Senate]] in 2010 and was succeeded by Republican [[Larry Bucshon]] in the same election cycle.
==List of representatives==


==List of representatives==
{| class=wikitable
{| class=wikitable
|- valign=bottom
|- valign=bottom
Line 319: Line 321:
|}
|}


===2006 ===
==Election Results==
===2002===
{{main|U.S. House election, 2006}}
{{Election box begin | title= General election }}
{{Election box begin no change| title=Indiana's 8th Congressional District Election (2002)}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = [[John Hostettler]]*
|votes = 98,952
|percentage = 51.31
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = '''[[Brad Ellsworth]]'''
|candidate = Bryan Hartke
|votes = 128,765
|votes = 88,763
|percentage = 61.1%
|percentage = 46.02
|change =
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Libertarian Party (United States)
|candidate = Pam Williams
|votes = 5,150
|percentage = 2.67
}}
{{Election box total no change|
|votes = 192,865
|percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box turnout no change|
|percentage =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing|
|winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

===2004===
{{Election box begin no change| title=Indiana's 8th Congressional District Election (2004)}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = [[John Hostettler]] ([[incumbent]])
|candidate = [[John Hostettler]]*
|votes = 82,271
|votes = 145,576
|percentage = 38.9%
|percentage = 53.37
|change =
}}
}}
{{Election box turnout
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|votes = 211,036
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Jon P. Jennings
|percentage =
|change =
|votes = 121,522
|percentage = 44.55
}}
}}
{{Election box gain with party link|
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|winner = Democratic Party (United States)
|party = Libertarian Party (United States)
|loser = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Mark Garvin
|swing =
|votes = 5,680
|percentage = 2.08
}}
{{Election box total no change|
|votes = 272,778
|percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box turnout no change|
|percentage =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link without swing|
|winner = Republican Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}

===2006===
{{Election box begin no change| title=Indiana's 8th Congressional District Election (2006)}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = [[Brad Ellsworth]]
|votes = 131,019
|percentage = 61.02
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = John Hostettler*
|votes = 83,704
|percentage = 38.98
}}
{{Election box total no change|
|votes = 214,723
|percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box turnout no change|
|percentage =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link without swing|
|winner = Democratic Party (United States)
|loser = Republican Party (United States)
}}
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box end}}


===2008===
===2008===
{{Election box begin no change| title=Indiana's 8th Congressional District Election (2008)}}
{{main|U.S. House election, 2008}}
{{Election box begin | title= General election }}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
{{Election box candidate with party link
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = '''[[Brad Ellsworth]]''' ([[incumbent]])
|candidate = [[Brad Ellsworth]]*
|votes = 188,693
|votes = 189,109
|percentage = 64.7%
|percentage = 64.75
|change =
}}
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|party = Republican Party (United States)
|candidate = Greg Goode
|candidate = Greg Goode
|votes = 102,769
|votes = 102,940
|percentage = 35.3%
|percentage = 35.25
|change =
}}
}}
{{Election box turnout
{{Election box total no change|
|votes = 291,462
|votes = 292,049
|percentage = 60%
|percentage = 100.00
|change =
}}
}}
{{Election box hold with party link|
{{Election box turnout no change|
|percentage =
|winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
|swing =
{{Election box hold with party link without swing|
|winner = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box end}}


===2010===
==Neighboring Districts==
{{Election box begin no change| title=Indiana's 8th Congressional District Election (2010)}}
* [[Indiana's 1st congressional district|1st District]]
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|
* [[Indiana's 4th congressional district|4th District]]
|party = Republican Party (United States)
* [[Indiana's 9th congressional district|9th District]]
|candidate = [[Larry Bucshon]]
|votes = 117,259
|percentage = 57.55
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Democratic Party (United States)
|candidate = Trent Van Haaften
|votes = 76,265
|percentage = 37.43
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|
|party = Libertarian Party (United States)
|candidate = John Cunningham
|votes = 10,240
|percentage = 5.03
}}
{{Election box total no change|
|votes = 203,764
|percentage = 100.00
}}
{{Election box turnout no change|
|percentage =
}}
{{Election box gain with party link without swing|
|winner = Republican Party (United States)
|loser = Democratic Party (United States)
}}
{{Election box end}}


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 00:46, 17 April 2011

"IN-8" redirects here. For the state road, see Indiana State Road 8.
Indiana's 8th congressional district
Map of Indiana's Eighth Congressional District'
Representative
Area7,041.64 sq mi (18,237.8 km2)
Distribution
  • 58.10% urban
  • 41.90% rural
Population (2000)675,564
Median household
income		36,732
Ethnicity
Cook PVIR+8

Indiana's 8th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Indiana. Based in Southwest and west central Indiana, the district is anchored in Evansville and also includes Terre Haute, Vincennes and Washington.

Commonly referred to as "The Bloody Eighth" at the local (and sometimes national) levels (See below for explanation), it is a major swing district.

Counties located in Indiana's 8th Congressional District

#
County 		#
County 		#
County 		#
County 		#
County 		#
County
11
Clay
Brazil
26,556 		14
Daviess
Washington
30,726 		23
Fountain*
Covington
17,954 		26
Gibson
Princeton
39,750 		28
Greene
Bloomfield
33,750 		42
Knox
Vincennes
38,920
51
Martin
Shoals
10,370 		60
Owen
Spencer
21,790 		61
Parke
Rockville
17,250 		63
Pike
Petersburg
12,840 		65
Posey
Mt. Vernon
27,500 		67
Putnam
Greencastle
36,020
77
Sullivan
Sullivan
21,750 		82
Vanderburgh
Evansville
191,220 		83
Vermillion
Newport
16,790 		84
Vigo
Terre Haute
105,900 		86
Warren
Williamsport
8,500 		87
Warrick
Boonville
59,700

Cities of 10,000 or more people

(2007 Estimate)

5,000 - 10,000 people

(2007 Estimate)

History

Indiana congressional districts before and after the most recent redistricting

Based in Evansville, the 8th Congressional District was widened when Indiana lost a seat after the 2000 U.S. Census to include much of the former 5th and 7th Congressional Districts. At that time, Bloomington (the home of former U.S. Representative Frank McCloskey) was moved into the 9th Congressional District, while the 8th Congressional District was extended northward to include much of the former 7th Congressional District in west-central Indiana, including Terre Haute. As a result of this expansion, the district is the largest in area in Indiana with all or part of 18 counties.

The district has been nicknamed "The Bloody Eighth" because of a series of hard-fought campaigns and political reversals. Unlike most other districts in the state, which frequently give their representatives long tenures in Washington, the 8th Congressional District has a reputation for frequently ousting its incumbents.[1] Voters in the district ousted six incumbents from 1966 to 1982. The election in 1984 was so close that it was decided in Congress. Although Southern Indiana is ancestrally Democratic, the Democrats in this area are nowhere near as liberal as their counterparts in the rest of the state. The district also has a strong tint of social conservatism.

In 2000, a New York Times reporter said of the district: "With a populist streak and a conservative bent, this district does not cotton to country club Republicans or to social-engineering liberals," and also said, "More than 95 percent white and about 41 percent rural, the region shares much of the flavor of the Bible Belt."[2]

The district was previously represented by Brad Ellsworth, a conservative Democrat. As a result of Ellsworth's landslide defeat of 12-year incumbent John Hostettler, it was the first district picked up by the Democrats on Election Night 2006.[3] Ellsworth resigned from this district after running for the U.S. Senate in 2010 and was succeeded by Republican Larry Bucshon in the same election cycle.

List of representatives

Representative Party Years District home Notes
District created March 4, 1843
John Pettit Democratic March 4, 1843 - March 4, 1849
Joseph E. McDonald Democratic March 4, 1849 - March 4, 1851
Daniel Mace Democratic March 4, 1851 - March 4, 1855
Opposition March 4, 1855 - March 4, 1857
James Wilson Republican March 4, 1857 - March 4, 1861
Albert S. White Republican March 4, 1861 - March 4, 1863
Godlove S. Orth Republican March 4, 1863 - March 4, 1869 Redistricted to the 7th district
James N. Tyner Republican March 4, 1869 - March 4, 1875 elected in special election to fill vacancy due to death of Rep-elect Daniel D. Pratt
Morton C. Hunter Republican March 4, 1875 - March 4, 1879 Redistricted from the 6th district
Abraham J. Hostetler Democratic March 4, 1879 - March 4, 1881
Robert B. F. Peirce Republican March 4, 1881 - March 4, 1883
John E. Lamb Democratic March 4, 1883 - March 4, 1885
James T. Johnston Republican March 4, 1885 - March 4, 1889
Elijah V. Brookshire Democratic March 4, 1889 - March 4, 1895
George W. Faris Republican March 4, 1895 - March 4, 1897 Redistricted to the 5th district
Charles L. Henry Republican March 4, 1897 - March 4, 1899 Redistricted from the 7th district
George W. Cromer Republican March 4, 1899 - March 4, 1907
John A. M. Adair Democratic March 4, 1907 - March 4, 1917
Albert H. Vestal Republican March 4, 1917 - April 1, 1932 Died
Vacant April 1, 1932 - March 4, 1933
John W. Boehne, Jr. Democratic March 4, 1933 - January 3, 1943 Redistricted from the 1st district
Charles M. La Follette Republican January 3, 1943 - January 3, 1947
E. A. Mitchell Republican January 3, 1947 - January 3, 1949
Winfield K. Denton Democratic January 3, 1949 - January 3, 1953
D. Bailey Merrill Republican January 3, 1953 - January 3, 1955
Winfield K. Denton Democratic January 3, 1955 - December 30, 1966 Resigned
Vacant December 30, 1966 - January 3, 1967
Roger H. Zion Republican January 3, 1967 - January 3, 1975
Philip H. Hayes Democratic January 3, 1975 - January 3, 1977
David L. Cornwell Democratic January 3, 1977 - January 3, 1979
H. Joel Deckard Republican January 3, 1979 - January 3, 1983
Frank McCloskey Democratic January 3, 1983 - January 3, 1985
Vacant January 3, 1985 - May 1, 1985 Election contested from January 3 to May 1, 1985. Congress refused to seat anyone.
Frank McCloskey Democratic May 1, 1985 - January 3, 1995 Final recount won by McCloskey, taking seat May 1, 1985 in disputed election.
John Hostettler Republican January 3, 1995 - January 3, 2007
Brad Ellsworth Democratic January 3, 2007 - January 3, 2011
Larry Bucshon Republican January 3, 2011 - Present Incumbent

Election Results

2002

Indiana's 8th Congressional District Election (2002)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Hostettler* 98,952 51.31
Democratic Bryan Hartke 88,763 46.02
Libertarian Pam Williams 5,150 2.67
Total votes 192,865 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

2004

Indiana's 8th Congressional District Election (2004)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Hostettler* 145,576 53.37
Democratic Jon P. Jennings 121,522 44.55
Libertarian Mark Garvin 5,680 2.08
Total votes 272,778 100.00
Turnout  
Republican hold

2006

Indiana's 8th Congressional District Election (2006)
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Ellsworth 131,019 61.02
Republican John Hostettler* 83,704 38.98
Total votes 214,723 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic gain from Republican

2008

Indiana's 8th Congressional District Election (2008)
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Brad Ellsworth* 189,109 64.75
Republican Greg Goode 102,940 35.25
Total votes 292,049 100.00
Turnout  
Democratic hold

2010

Indiana's 8th Congressional District Election (2010)
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Larry Bucshon 117,259 57.55
Democratic Trent Van Haaften 76,265 37.43
Libertarian John Cunningham 10,240 5.03
Total votes 203,764 100.00
Turnout  
Republican gain from Democratic

References

  1. ^ "And They're Off And Running!". U.S. News & World Reports. January 16, 2006. Retrieved 2007-01-07.
  2. ^ Dirk Johnson, "The 2000 Campaign: An Indiana Race; Conservatives Face Off in Quirky Populist District", New York Times, October 10, 2000
  3. ^ "Democrats pick up key House seat in Indiana". CNN.com. Retrieved 2007-01-07.

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