Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district
Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district | |
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![]() Boundaries since January 2019. Statistics below, except PVI, apply to the old boundaries. | |
Representative | |
Distribution |
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Population (2010) | 692,866 |
Ethnicity |
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Cook PVI | D+1[2] |
Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district includes all of Lehigh County and Northampton County as well as parts of Monroe County. The district is represented by Democrat Susan Wild.
From 2013 through 2018, the district incorporated parts of the Philadelphia suburbs, including most of Delaware County along with portions of Chester County, Montgomery County, Berks County, and Lancaster County. The district exhibited extreme non-congruity during that time as a result of gerrymandering.[3] On January 22, 2018, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled that the map violated the state constitution, and in February it issued its own district boundaries for use in the 2018 elections and representation thereafter. Most of the population in the old 7th became part of a new fifth district, encompassing all of Delaware County and parts of South Philadelphia while most of the old 15th district became the new 7th district.[4][5]
Pat Meehan, who had represented the old 7th district since 2011, resigned on April 27, 2018 amid a sexual harassment case. Mary Gay Scanlon won the special election on November 6, 2018 to replace him for the remainder of his term, and she served for slightly less than two months as the last representative for the old 7th district before being transferred to the newly redrawn 5th district. Susan Wild won the general election in the newly redrawn 7th district, and she took office January 3, 2019.
Elections
Year | Office | Results |
---|---|---|
2002 | Representative | Weldon 66.09–33.91% |
2004 | President | Kerry 53–47% |
Representative | Weldon 58.8–40.3% | |
2006 | Representative | Sestak 56.4–43.6% |
2008 | President | Obama 56–43% |
Representative | Sestak 59.6–40.4% | |
2010 | Representative | Meehan 54.9–44.1% |
2012 | President | Romney 50.4–48.5% |
Representative | Meehan 59.4–40.6% | |
2014 | Representative | Meehan 62.0–38.0% |
2016 | President | Clinton 49.3–47.0% |
Representative | Meehan 59.5–40.5% |
Geography
The 2003–2012 version of the district was located in southeastern Pennsylvania. It contained the western and northwestern suburbs of Philadelphia. It consisted of the majority of Delaware County (except for the City of Chester and some of the eastern boroughs), a portion of Chester County east of West Chester in the affluent Main Line area, and a portion of southern Montgomery County centered on Upper Merion Township.
The 2013–2018 version of the district contained most of Delaware County outside of the City of Chester and the heavily African American townships and boroughs in the eastern portion of the county. It also contained parts of central Montgomery County, southern portions of Berks County, southern and central portions of Chester County, and a small portion of eastern Lancaster County. The District as it stood in October 2016 was named on NPR's On the Media as an egregious example of gerrymandering. The shape of the district was described as "Goofy kicking Donald Duck. The only point that is essentially contiguous there is Goofy's foot in Donald Duck's rear end. [...] However these district lines are the building blocks of democracy, and when they get as perverted and twisted as this, it leads to deeply undemocratic outcomes."[6] The Washington Post listed it as one of the ten most gerrymandered districts in the country.[7]
On February 19, 2018, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania released a new congressional map after lawmakers had failed to agree on a map that would reduce gerrymandering. The map substantially redrew the District, relocating it to the Lehigh Valley.[5] The newly redrawn district includes all of Lehigh County and Northampton County as well as parts of Monroe County.
Demographics
![]() | This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: This section describes the pre-2019 7th district; needs to describe the new one.(January 2019) |
The district encompasses an area of diverse wealth, ranging from blue collar and working class households in the southeastern portions of Delaware County (mostly around in the oil refinery areas of Marcus Hook and Trainer) to the southern and western portions of the affluent Main Line area of Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. The district is the home of several major colleges and universities, including Haverford College; Villanova University; Penn State Brandywine; Delaware County Community College; Eastern University; and Cheyney University, the first traditionally black college in the U.S. The district is also the home of Boeing's helicopter facility in Ridley Park. Chester, the only city in Delaware County, is split between the 7th district and 1st Congressional District, but is mostly in the 1st district.
List of members representing the district
1791 – 1793: One seat
District created in 1791.
Representative | Party | Years | Cong ress |
Electoral history |
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Thomas Hartley |
Pro-Administration | March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 |
2nd | Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1791. Redistricted to the at-large district. |
District redistricted in 1793 to the at-large district.
1795–1823: One seat
District restored in 1795.
Member | Party | Years | Cong ress |
Electoral history |
---|---|---|---|---|
John W. Kittera | Federalist | March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1801 |
4th 5th 6th |
Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1794. Re-elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798. Retired. |
Thomas Boude | Federalist | March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803 |
7th | Elected in 1800. Redistricted to the 3rd district and lost re-election. |
John Rea | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1811 |
8th 9th 10th 11th |
Elected in 1802. Re-elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Lost re-election. |
William Piper | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813 |
12th | Elected in 1810. Redistricted to the 8th district. |
John M. Hyneman | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1813 – August 2, 1813 |
13th | Redistricted from the 3rd district and re-elected in 1812. Resigned. |
Vacant | August 2, 1813 – October 12, 1813 | |||
Daniel Udree | Democratic-Republican | October 12, 1813 – March 3, 1815 |
Elected October 12, 1813 to finish Hyneman's term and seated December 6, 1813. Lost re-election. | |
![]() Joseph Hiester |
Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1815 – December ????, 1820 |
14th 15th 16th |
Elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816. Resigned to become Governor of Pennsylvania. |
Vacant | December ????, 1820 – December 26, 1820 |
16th | ||
Daniel Udree | Democratic-Republican | December 26, 1820 – March 3, 1821 |
Elected December 10, 1820 to finish Hiester's term and seated January 8, 1821.[8] Had not been a candidate for the next term. | |
Ludwig Worman | Federalist | March 4, 1821 – October 17, 1822 |
17th | Elected in 1820. Lost re-election and then died. |
Vacant | October 17, 1822 – December 10, 1822 | |||
Daniel Udree | Democratic-Republican | December 10, 1822 – March 3, 1823 |
Elected in 1822. Later elected December 10, 1822 to finish Worman's term and seated December 23, 1822. |
1823–1833: Two seats
Member | Party | Years | Cong ress |
Electoral history | Member | Party | Years | Cong ress |
Electoral history | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Henry Wilson | Jackson Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 |
18th | Elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1824. Died. |
Daniel Udree | Jackson Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 |
18th | Re-elected in 1822. Retired. | |
Jacksonian | March 4, 1825 – August 24, 1826 |
19th | William Addams | Jacksonian | March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1829 |
19th 20th |
Elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1826. Lost re-election. | |||
Vacant | August 24, 1826 – December 4, 1826 | |||||||||
Jacob Krebs | Jacksonian | December 4, 1826 – March 3, 1827 |
Elected October 10, 1826 to finish Wilson's term and seated December 4, 1826. Was not a candidate for the next term. | |||||||
Joseph Fry Jr. | Jacksonian | March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1831 |
20th 21st |
Elected in 1826. Re-elected in 1828. Retired. | ||||||
Henry A. P. Muhlenberg | Jacksonian | March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1833 |
21st 22nd |
Elected in 1828. Re-elected in 1830. Redistricted to the 9th district. | ||||||
Henry King | Jacksonian | March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833 |
22nd | Elected in 1830. Redistricted to the 8th district. |
1833–Present: One seat
Member | Party | Years | Cong ress |
Electoral history |
---|---|---|---|---|
David D. Wagener | Jacksonian | March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837 |
23rd 24th |
Elected in 1832 Re-elected in 1834 Re-elected in 1836 Re-elected in 1838 [data missing] |
Democratic | March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1841 |
25th 26th | ||
John Westbrook | Democratic | March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843 |
27th | [data missing] Retired. |
Abraham R. McIlvaine | Whig | March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1849 |
28th 29th 30th |
[data missing] Lost renomination. |
Jesse C. Dickey | Whig | March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851 |
31st | [data missing] Lost re-election. |
John A. Morrison | Democratic | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 |
32nd | [data missing] |
![]() Samuel A. Bridges |
Democratic | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 |
33rd | [data missing] Lost re-election. |
Samuel C. Bradshaw | Opposition | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 |
34th | [data missing] Lost re-election. |
![]() Henry Chapman |
Democratic | March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859 |
35th | [data missing] Retired. |
Henry C. Longnecker | Republican | March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861 |
36th | [data missing] |
Thomas B. Cooper | Democratic | March 4, 1861 – April 4, 1862 |
37th | [data missing] Died. |
Vacant | April 4, 1862 – June 3, 1862 |
37th | ||
![]() John D. Stiles |
Democratic | June 3, 1862 – March 3, 1863 |
37th | [data missing] Redistricted to the 6th district. |
![]() John M. Broomall |
Republican | March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1869 |
38th 39th 40th |
[data missing] Retired. |
![]() Washington Townsend |
Republican | March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1875 |
41st 42nd 43rd |
[data missing] Redistricted to the 6th district. |
![]() Alan Wood Jr. |
Republican | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 |
44th | [data missing] Retired. |
![]() Isaac N. Evans |
Republican | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879 |
45th | [data missing] Retired. |
![]() William Godshalk |
Republican | March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1883 |
46th 47th |
[data missing] Retired. |
![]() Isaac N. Evans |
Republican | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887 |
48th 49th |
[data missing] Retired. |
![]() Robert M. Yardley |
Republican | March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1891 |
50th 51st |
[data missing] Retired. |
![]() Edwin Hallowell |
Democratic | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 |
52nd | [data missing] Lost re-election. |
![]() Irving P. Wanger |
Republican | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1903 |
53rd 54th 55th 56th 57th |
[data missing] Redistricted to the 8th district. |
![]() Thomas S. Butler |
Republican | March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1923 |
58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th 66th 67th |
Redistricted from the 6th district. Redistricted to the 8th district. |
![]() George P. Darrow |
Republican | March 4, 1923 – January 3, 1937 |
68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd 73rd 74th |
Redistricted from the 6th district. Lost re-election. |
![]() Ira W. Drew |
Democratic | January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1939 |
75th | [data missing] Lost re-election. |
![]() George P. Darrow |
Republican | January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1941 |
76th | [data missing] Retired. |
![]() Hugh Scott |
Republican | January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1945 |
77th 78th |
[data missing] Lost re-election. |
![]() James Wolfenden |
Republican | January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947 |
79th | Redistricted from the 8th district. Retired. |
E. Wallace Chadwick | Republican | January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949 |
80th | [data missing] Lost renomination. |
![]() Benjamin F. James |
Republican | January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1959 |
81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th |
[data missing] Retired. |
William H. Milliken Jr. |
Republican | January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1965 |
86th 87th 88th |
[data missing] Retired. |
![]() G. Robert Watkins |
Republican | January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1967 |
89th | [data missing] Redistricted to the 9th district. |
![]() Lawrence G. Williams |
Republican | January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1975 |
90th 91st 92nd 93rd |
[data missing] Lost re-election. |
![]() Robert W. Edgar |
Democratic | January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1987 |
94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th |
[data missing] Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
![]() Curt Weldon |
Republican | January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2007 |
100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th |
[data missing] Lost re-election. |
![]() Joe Sestak |
Democratic | January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 |
110th 111th |
[data missing] Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
![]() Pat Meehan |
Republican | January 3, 2011 – April 27, 2018 |
112th 113th 114th 115th |
[data missing] Resigned. |
Vacant | April 27, 2018 – November 6, 2018 |
115th | ||
![]() Mary Gay Scanlon |
Democratic | November 6, 2018 – January 3, 2019 |
Elected to finish Meehan's term. Redistricted to the 5th district. | |
![]() Susan Wild |
Democratic | January 3, 2019 – present |
116th 117th 118th |
Redistricted from the 15th district and re-elected in 2018. |
Historical district boundaries
-
2003–2013
-
2013–2019
See also
References
- ^ https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/cd_state.html
- ^ "New Pennsylvania Map Is a Major Boost for Democrats". The Cook Political Report. February 20, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2017.
- ^ Ingraham, Christopher. "This is the best explanation of gerrymandering you will ever see". Washington Post. Washington Post. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
- ^ "Pennsylvania Supreme Court strikes down state's congressional districts". CBS News. 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. CBS News. January 24, 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ a b Cohn, Nate; Bloch, Matthew; Quealy, Kevin (February 19, 2018). "The New Pennsylvania House Districts Are In. We Review the Mapmakers' Choices". The Upshot. The New York Times. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ "The System Is Rigged". On the Media. October 21, 2016.
- ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/05/15/americas-most-gerrymandered-congressional-districts/
- ^ "Sixteenth Congress March 4, 1819, to March 3, 1821". Office of the Historian, United States House of Representatives. Retrieved January 23, 2019 – via History.house.gov.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present