Texas's 7th congressional district

Texas's 7th congressional district
Texas's 7th congressional district - since January 3, 2013.
Current Representative		John Culberson (R–Houston)
Population (2000)	651,619
Median income	$57,848
Ethnicity	77.7% White, 5.7% Black, 6.9% Asian, 18.0% Hispanic, 0.4% Native American, 0.4% other
Cook PVI	R+14 (2012)

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.

One of the wealthiest districts in the state, District 7 includes several upscale areas of western Houston, wealthy enclaves of Houston, one incorporated suburb, large areas of unincorporated suburbs, and the heavily Democratic Neartown area.

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.

Cities within the district

Cities wholly in the district

• Bellaire
• Bunker Hill Village
• Hedwig Village
• Hilshire Village
• Hunters Creek Village
• Jersey Village
• Piney Point Village
• Southside Place
• Spring Valley Village
• West University Place

Cities partially in the district

• Houston

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 to 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 to 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, who now lives in the district.

2012 redistricting

After the 2012 redistricting process, the 7th district lost some of its territory to the newly drawn 2nd district. The district lost most of the portion north of Jersey Village, while expanding farther west and south, so that it goes in an easterly direction bordering Interstate 10 to the south. The district now includes parts of unincorporated Harris County and Sharpstown east of the Southwest Freeway. The district lost Memorial Park, Montrose, Spring Branch and Rice University to the 2nd district.^[1]

List of representatives

Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party	District Residence	Notes
District created		March 4, 1883
Thomas P. Ochiltree	March 4, 1883	March 3, 1885	Independent	Galveston
William H. Crain	March 4, 1885	March 3, 1893	Democrat	Indianola	Redistricted to the 11th district
George C. Pendleton	March 4, 1893	March 3, 1897	Democrat	Temple
Robert L. Henry	March 4, 1897	March 3, 1903	Democrat	Waco	Redistricted to the 11th district
Alexander W. Gregg	March 4, 1903	March 3, 1919	Democrat	Palestine
Clay Stone Briggs	March 4, 1919	April 29, 1933	Democrat	Galveston	Died
Vacant		April 29, 1933 - June 24, 1933
Clark W. Thompson	June 24, 1933	January 3, 1935	Democrat	Galveston
Nat Patton	January 3, 1935	January 3, 1945	Democrat	Crockett
Tom Pickett	January 3, 1945	June 30, 1952	Democrat	Palestine	Resigned to become Vice President of the National Coal Association
Vacant		June 30, 1952 - September 23, 1952
John Dowdy	September 23, 1952	January 3, 1967	Democrat	Waco	Redistricted to the 2nd district
George H. W. Bush	January 3, 1967	January 3, 1971	Republican	Houston
Bill Archer	January 3, 1971	January 3, 2001	Republican	Houston
John Culberson	January 3, 2001	Present	Republican	Houston	Incumbent

Election results

Historical district boundaries

2007 - 2013

See also

• List of United States congressional districts

References

• http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe
• 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

Coordinates: 29°43′27″N 95°30′01″W / 29.72417°N 95.50028°W / 29.72417; -95.50028