Connecticut's 3rd congressional district

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Connecticut's 3rd congressional district
Area 485 mi²
Distribution 96.6% urban, 3.4% rural
Population (2000) 681,113
Median income $49,752
Ethnic composition 76.1% White, 11.5% Black, 2.5% Asian, 8.0% Hispanic, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% other
Cook PVI D+12


Connecticut's 3rd District has been in existence since 1837,having been organized from the At-large District. It is centered on the city of New Haven and its immediate suburbs. The district occupies about 4/5 of New Haven County, a small portion of Middlesex County, and Stratford in Fairfield County. New Haven is the largest city and the focus of the district and the district is commonly referred to as "New Haven's district," but parts of the large cities of Middletown and Waterbury are also represented in this district.

Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat, represents Connecticut's Third District. She has represented the 3rd since 1991, and was re-elected in 2006 with 76% of the vote. George W. Bush received 42% of the vote in this district in 2004.

Since New Haven and its close-in suburbs are largely Democratic, the district is seen as a very Democratic district in both local and federal elections. Among Connecticut districts, only the Hartford-based 1st District is considered more Democratic. The Republican Party is virtually non-existent in the cities of New Haven, West Haven, and Hamden, which together comprise roughly 1/3 of the population of the district. John Kerry defeated George W. Bush by a comfortable 14 points in the district in 2004. Moderate Republicans running for Governor such as John G. Rowland and M. Jodi Rell have carried this district in recent elections, however.

The Democrats have held the district for all but 6 terms (1943-45, 1947-49, 1953-59, 1981-83) since 1933. Republicans were more competitive in this district in the 1980's, handing Joe Lieberman his one general election loss in the 1980 house race and strongly contesting the seat in 1982, 1984 and 1990. In that era Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush won the district due to huge suburban pluralities, which Republicans have not obtained in this region for federal candidates since the end of the Cold War.

Contents

[edit] Voter Registration

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 25, 2005[1]
Party Active Voters Inactive Voters Total Voters Percentage
  Democratic 145,529 10,801 156,330 37.50%
  Republican 65,324 3,352 68,676 16.47%
  Unaffiliated 178,593 12,340 190,933 45.80%
  Minor Parties 873 120 993 0.24%
Total 390,319 26,613 416,932 100%

[edit] Municipalities located within Connecticut's 3rd District

[edit] Representatives

Representative Party Years District home Note
District organized from Connecticut's At-large congressional district in 1837
Thomas T. Whittlesey Democratic March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839 Lost Re-election
Thomas W. Williams Whig March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1843
George S. Catlin Democratic March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845
John A. Rockwell Whig March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1849 Lost Re-election
Chauncey Fitch Cleveland Democratic March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853
Nathan Belcher Democratic March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 Declined Nomination
Sidney Dean American March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 Changed Parties
Sidney Dean Republican March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859 Declined Nomination
Alfred A. Burnham Republican March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1863 Declined Nomination
Augustus Brandegee Republican March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1867
Henry H. Starkweather Republican March 4, 1867 – January 28, 1876 Died
Vacant January 28, 1876 – April 12, 1876
John T. Wait Republican April 12, 1876 – March 3, 1887 Retired
Charles A. Russell Republican March 4, 1887 – October 23, 1902 Died
Vacant October 23, 1902 – November 4, 1902
Frank B. Brandegee Republican November 4, 1902 – May 10, 1905 Resigned on Election to US Senate
Vacant May 10, 1905 – October 2, 1905
Edwin W. Higgins Republican October 2, 1905 – March 3, 1913 Retired
Thomas L. Reilly Democratic March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915 Lost Re-election
John Q. Tilson Republican March 4, 1915 – December 3, 1932 Resigned
Vacant December 3, 1932 – March 4, 1933
Francis T. Maloney Democratic March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935 Retired to run for US Senate
James A. Shanley Democratic January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1943 Lost Re-election
Ranulf Compton Republican January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1945 Lost Re-election
James P. Geelan Democratic January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947 Lost Re-election
Ellsworth Foote Republican January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949 Lost Re-election
John A. McGuire Democratic January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1953 Lost Re-election
Albert W. Cretella Republican January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1959 Lost Re-election
Robert N. Giaimo Democratic January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1981 North Haven Retired
Lawrence Joseph DeNardis Republican January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1983 Hamden Lost Re-election
Bruce Morrison Democratic January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1991 Hamden Retired to run for Governor
Rosa L. DeLauro Democratic January 3, 1991 – present New Haven Incumbent

[edit] References

  1. ^ Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 25, 2005 (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Retrieved on 2006-10-02.
v • d • e
Connecticut's congressional districts
At-large 1 2 3 4 5 6
The 6th and At-large districts are obsolete.
See also: Connecticut's past & present Representatives, Senators, and Delegations
All U.S. districts – Apportionment – Redistricting – Gerrymandering – Maps