Texas's 7th congressional district

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Texas's 7th congressional district
Population (2000) 651,619
Median income $57,846
Ethnic composition 77.7% White, 5.7% Black, 6.9% Asian, 18.0% Hispanic, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% other
Cook PVI R+16

Texas District 7 of the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that serves a small area of western Harris County. As of the 2000 census, District 7 comprises 651,620 people.

The district is one of the wealthiest in the state and in the country. It includes several well-to-do areas of western Houston, several wealthy enclaves of Houston, one incorporated suburb, and large areas of unincorporated suburbs.

The district was one of the state's first to elect a Republican to office and is now one of the most Republican districts in Texas. It has not elected a Democrat to office since 1967, before districts of equal population were required. Republican John Culberson has represented the district since 2001.

Contents

[edit] Cities within in the district

[edit] Cities wholly in the district

[edit] Cities partially in the district

[edit] History of Texas' seventh district

Texas received a seventh congressional district through reapportionment in 1881 as a result of population growth reflected in the 1880 Census and in 1883, Thomas P. Ochiltree, an Independent, was elected its first representative. From 1882-1902 the district was located in North Central Texas and was represented by Wacoan Robert L. Henry. After the redistricting of 1902, the district shifted eastward and was represented Congressmen from Palestine and Galveston. After 1952, the district again shifted to Waco.

The district was redrawn mid-decade in 1966 after the Supreme Court ruled in Wesberry v. Sanders two years earlier that congressional district populations had to be equal or close to equal in population. As a result, Houston, which had been located entirely in District 8, was divided into three districts, one of which was District 7. Prior to 1966, the district was represented by a Wacoan, John Dowdy. From 1885-1966, the seventh congressional district elected only Democratic representatives to Congress.

Since the district has been located in Houston, it has only elected Republican representatives, including former President George H.W. Bush.

Famous residents include Dr. Joseph Clifton Ph.D. and former President George H. W. Bush.

[edit] List of Representatives from the Seventh Congressional District

Name Took
Office		 Left
Office		 Party District
Residence
Thomas P. Ochiltree 1883 1885 Independent Galveston
William H. Crain 1885 1893 Democrat Indianola
George C. Pendleton 1893 1897 Democrat Temple
Robert L. Henry 1897 1903 Democrat Waco
Alexander W. Gregg 1903 1919 Democrat Palestine
Clay Stone Briggs* 1919 1933 Democrat Galveston
Clark W. Thompson 1933 1935 Democrat Galveston
Nat Patton 1935 1945 Democrat Crockett
Tom Pickett 1945 1952 Democrat Palestine
John Dowdy 1953 1967 Democrat Waco
George H. W. Bush 1967 1971 Republican Houston
Bill Archer 1971 2001 Republican Houston
John Culberson 2001 currently serving Republican Houston

* Died in office.

[edit] Election results

US House election, 2006: Texas District 7
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican John Culberson 99,318 59.2 -4.9
Democratic Jim Henley 64,514 38.5 +5.2
Libertarian Drew Parks 3,953 2.4 +1.2
Majority
Turnout 167,785
Republican hold Swing


US House election, 2004: Texas District 7
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican John Culberson 175,440 64.1 -25.1
Democratic John Martinez 91,126 33.3
Independent Paul Staton 3,713 1.4
Libertarian Drew Parks 3,372 1.2 -9.5
Majority 84,314 30.8
Turnout 273,651
Republican hold Swing -29.2

[edit] References

v • d • e
Texas's congressional districts
At-large 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
The At-large district is obsolete.
See also: Texas's past & present Representatives, Senators, and Delegations
All U.S. districts – Apportionment – Redistricting – Gerrymandering – Maps