Massachusetts's 4th congressional district

"MA-4" redirects here. MA-4 may also refer to Mercury-Atlas 4, a test flight of Project Mercury.
Massachusetts's 4th congressional district
Current Representative Barney Frank (D–Newton)
Area 731.84 mi²
Distribution 40.47% urban, 59.53% rural
Population (2000) 634,624
Median income $65,100
Ethnicity 87.9% White, 2.2% Black, 3.2% Asian, 3.3% Hispanic, 0.2% Native American, 3.2% other
Occupation 19.2% blue collar, 67.6% white collar, 13.1% gray collar
Cook PVI D+14

Massachusetts's 4th congressional district is mostly in southern Massachusetts and includes the South Coast region. It is represented by Barney Frank, who has served the district since January 1981.

The district covers much of the area included in the 10th district before the 1982 redistricting. In prior years, the district stretched from Brookline to Fitchburg.

For a very brief time (1793-95) it served the District of Maine.

Contents

Cities and towns

District 4 contains the following cities and towns:

In Bristol County:

Acushnet, Berkley, Dartmouth, Dighton, Fairhaven, Fall River: Ward 4, Precinct C; Ward 5, Precinct C; Ward 6, Precinct A; Ward 7; Ward 8, Precincts A-C; Ward 9, Freetown, Mansfield, New Bedford, Norton, Raynham, Taunton, Westport.

In Middlesex County:

Newton, Sherborn.

In Norfolk County:

Brookline, Dover, Foxborough, Millis, Norfolk, Sharon, Wellesley.

In Plymouth County:

Halifax, Lakeville, Marion, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Rochester, Wareham .

Representatives

Representative Party Years District home Electoral history
Theodore Sedgwick Pro-
Administration		 March 4, 1789 –
March 4, 1793		 Stockbridge First elected in 1789

Redistricted to the 2nd district
Henry Dearborn Anti-
Administration		 March 4, 1793 –
March 4, 1795
(General ticket)		 Gardiner, Maine First elected in 1792

Redistricted to the 12th district
Peleg Wadsworth Pro-
Administration		 Portland, Maine First elected in 1792

Redistricted to the 13th district
George Thatcher Pro-
Administration		 Biddeford, Maine Redistricted from the 8th district

Redistricted to the 14th district
Dwight Foster Federalist March 4, 1795 –
June 6, 1800		 Brookfield Redistricted from the 2nd district

Resigned
Vacant June 6, 1800 –
December 15, 1800
Levi Lincoln, Sr. Democratic-
Republican		 December 15, 1800 –
March 5, 1801		 First elected to finish Foster's term

Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General
Vacant March 5, 1801 –
August 24, 1801
Seth Hastings Federalist August 24, 1801 –
March 4, 1803		 Mendon Elected to finish Lincoln's term

Redistricted to the 10th district
Joseph Bradley Varnum Democratic-
Republican		 March 4, 1803 –
June 29, 1811		 Dracut Redistricted from the 9th district

Resigned on election to U.S. Senate
Vacant June 29, 1811 –
November 4, 1811
William M. Richardson Democratic-
Republican		 November 4, 1811 –
April 18, 1814		 Groton First elected to finish Varnum's term

Resigned
Vacant April 18, 1814 –
November 4, 1811
Samuel Dana Democratic-
Republican		 September 22, 1814 –
March 4, 1815		 Groton Elected to finish Richardson's term

Lost re-election
Asahel Stearns Federalist March 4, 1815 –
March 4, 1817		 Charlestown First elected in 1814

[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Timothy Fuller Democratic-
Republican		 March 4, 1817 –
March 4, 1823		 First elected in 1816

[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Adams-Clay
Republican		 March 4, 1823 –
March 4, 1825
Edward Everett Adams March 4, 1825 –
March 4, 1829		 First elected in 1824

Retired
Anti-
Jackson		 March 4, 1829 –
March 4, 1835
Samuel Hoar Anti-
Jackson		 March 4, 1835 –
March 4, 1837		 Concord Elected in 1834

Lost re-election
William Parmenter Democratic March 4, 1837 –
March 4, 1845		 Cambridge First elected in 1836
Benjamin Thompson Whig March 4, 1845 –
March 4, 1847		 Charlestown Elected in 1844

Retired
John G. Palfrey Whig March 4, 1847 –
March 4, 1849		 Elected in 1846

Lost re-election
Vacant March 4, 1849 –
March 4, 1851
Benjamin Thompson Whig March 4, 1851 –
September 24, 1852		 Charlestown Elected in 1850

Died
Vacant September 25, 1852 –
December 12, 1852
Lorenzo Sabine Whig December 13, 1852 –
March 4, 1853		 Framingham Elected to finish Thompson's term

Retired
Samuel H. Walley Whig March 4, 1853 –
March 4, 1855		 Elected in 1852

Lost re-election
Linus B. Comins Know Nothing March 4, 1855 –
March 4, 1857		 Roxbury First elected in 1854

[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Republican March 4, 1857 –
March 4, 1859
Alexander H. Rice Republican March 4, 1861 –
March 4, 1863		 Boston First elected in 1860

Redistricted to the 3rd district
Samuel Hooper Republican March 4, 1863 –
February 14, 1875		 Redistricted from the 5th district

Retired, but died before retirement
Vacant February 15, 1875 –
March 4, 1875
Rufus S. Frost Republican March 4, 1875 –
July 28, 1876		 Chelsea Elected in 1874

Election challenged by successor
Josiah G. Abbott Democratic July 28, 1876 –
March 4, 1877		 Successfully challenged predecessor

Lost re-election
Leopold Morse Democratic March 4, 1877 –
March 4, 1883		 Boston First elected in 1876

Redistricted to 5th district
Patrick A. Collins Democratic March 4, 1883 –
March 4, 1889		 Boston First elected in 1882

Retired
Joseph H. O'Neil Democratic March 4, 1889 –
March 4, 1893		 Boston First elected in 1888

Redistricted to the 9th district
Lewis D. Apsley Republican March 4, 1893 –
March 4, 1897		 Hudson First elected in 1892

Retired
George W. Weymouth Republican March 4, 1897 –
March 4, 1901		 Fitchburg First elected in 1896

Retired
Charles Q. Tirrell Republican March 4, 1901 –
July 31, 1910		 Natick First elected in 1900

Died
Vacant August 1, 1910 –
November 7, 1910
John Joseph Mitchell Democratic November 8, 1910 –
March 4, 1911		 Marlborough Elected to finish Tirrell's term

Lost re-election
William H. Wilder Republican March 4, 1911 –
March 4, 1913		 Gardner First elected in 1910

Redistricted to the 3rd district
Samuel Winslow Republican March 4, 1913 –
March 4, 1925		 Worcester First elected in 1912

Retired
George R. Stobbs Republican March 4, 1925 –
March 4, 1931		 Worcester First elected in 1924

Retired
Pehr G. Holmes Republican March 4, 1931 –
January 3, 1947		 Worcester First elected in 1930

Lost re-election
Harold Donohue Democratic January 3, 1947 –
January 3, 1973		 Worcester First elected in 1946

Redistricted to the 3rd district
Robert Drinan Democratic January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1981		 Newton Redistricted from the 3rd district

Retired on the orders of Pope John Paul II
Barney Frank Democratic January 3, 1981 –
Present		 Newton First elected in 1980

Incumbent

Retiring in January 2013

Election results

U.S. House election, 2002: Massachusetts, District 4
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Barney Frank 166,125 98.99 + 24.09
Write-in 1,691 1.01 +0.96
Turnout 167,816
U.S. House election, 2004: Massachusetts, District 4
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Barney Frank 219,260 77.74 + 31.46
Independent Chuck Morse 62,293 22.09 + 22.09
Write-in 486 0.17 - 0.84
Turnout 282,039
U.S. House election, 2006: Massachusetts, District 4
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Barney Frank 176,513 98.48
Write-in 2730 1.52
Turnout 179,243
U.S. House election, 2008: Massachusetts, District 4
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Barney Frank 203,032 64.3
Republican Earl Henry Sholley 75,571 23.9
Independent Susan Allen 19,848 6.29
Write-in 337 0.11
Blank/Scattering 16,946 5.37
Turnout 315,734
U.S. House election, 2010: Massachusetts, District 4
Party Candidate Votes Percentage
Democratic Barney Frank 125,825 54
Republican Sean Bielat 101,315 43
Write-in
Blank/Scattering
Turnout

References

External links

Maps

Election results

Current districts: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
All districts: At-large 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
The At-large and 11th–20th districts are obsolete. Some moved to Maine in 1820.
See also: Massachusetts's past & present Representatives, Senators, and Delegations, 2010 elections, 2012 elections
All U.S. districts – Apportionment – Redistricting – Gerrymandering – Maps
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