Connecticut's 5th congressional district

Connecticut's 5th congressional district

Connecticut's 5th congressional district - since January 3, 2013.
Current Representative Elizabeth Esty (DCheshire)
Area 1,282 sq mi (3,320 km2)
Distribution
  • 85.9% urban
  • 14.1% rural
Population (2015) 712,568
Median income 53,118
Ethnicity
Cook PVI D+2[1]

Connecticut's 5th Congressional District is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in the northwestern part of the state, the district runs from Meriden and New Britain in central Connecticut, westward to Danbury and the surrounding Housatonic Valley, encompassing the Farmington Valley, Naugatuck River Valley, and the Litchfield Hills.

The district is currently represented by Democrat Elizabeth Esty.

History

Historically Republican, the Fifth Congressional District has been treading Democratic since 2004. John Kerry carried the district with 49.3% of the vote, a margin of 1,112 votes in the 2004 presidential election. Obama carried the district in 2008 with 56.3% of the vote and in 2012 with 53.5% of the vote.

The current 5th Congressional District was created in 2002 due to reapportionment following the 2000 U.S. Census. Due to slow population growth, Connecticut lost a seat and the district was merged with the previous Sixth Congressional District.

From 1964 to 1990 the 5th Congressional District included many towns in Fairfield County which are now located in the 4th Congressional District, such as Wilton, Monroe, Ridgefield, and Shelton. It also included the lower Naugatuck River Valley towns of Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, and Naugatuck which are now in the 3rd Congressional District.

In the early 20th century the 5th Congressional District included Waterbury, Litchfield County, and the Naugatuck Valley. It did not include any portion of Fairfield or Hartford counties and did not include the City of Meriden.

Towns in the district

The district includes the following towns:

Fairfield County - Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, Newtown, and Sherman.

Hartford County - Avon, Burlington, Canton, Farmington, New Britain, Plainville, and Simsbury.

Litchfield County - Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Harwinton, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Milford, Norfolk, North Canaan, Plymouth, Roxbury, Salisbury, Sharon, Thomaston, Torrington (part), Warren, Washington, Watertown, and Woodbury.

New Haven County - Cheshire, Meriden, Middlebury, Southbury, Waterbury (part), and Wolcott.

Voter registration

Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 30, 2012[2]
Party Active voters Inactive voters Total voters Percentage
Democratic 108,601 4,720 113,321 29.96%
Republican 89,242 3,554 92,796 24.53%
Minor parties 3,728 152 3,880 1.03%
Unaffiliated 159,433 8,782 168,215 44.48%
Total 361,004 17,208 378,212 100%

Recent presidential elections

Election results from presidential races
Year Office Results
2000 President Gore 52 - 43%
2004 President Kerry 49.3 - 49%
2008 President Obama 56 - 42%
2012 President Obama 54 - 45%
2016 President Clinton 50 - 46%

Recent elections

Connecticut's 5th Congressional District Election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Chris Murphy 122,980 56%
Republican Nancy Johnson (incumbent) 94,824 44%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing
Turnout 217,804 100%
Connecticut's 5th Congressional District Election, 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Chris Murphy (incumbent) 178,377 59%
Republican David Cappiello 117,585 39%
Independent Thomas Winn 3,066 1%
Democratic hold Swing
Turnout 301,345 100%
Connecticut's 5th Congressional District Election, 2010
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Chris Murphy (incumbent) 122,879 54%
Republican Sam Caligiuri 104,402 46%
Democratic hold Swing
Turnout 227,281 100%
Connecticut's 5th Congressional District Election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Elizabeth Esty 142,201 52%
Republican Andrew Roraback 133,256 48%
Democratic hold Swing
Turnout 275,457 100%
Connecticut's 5th Congressional District Election, 2014
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Elizabeth Esty (incumbent) 113,564 53%
Republican Mark Greenberg 97,767 46%
Independent John Pistone 1,970 1%
Democratic hold Swing
Turnout 213,301 100%
Connecticut's 5th Congressional District Election, 2016
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Democratic Elizabeth Esty (incumbent) 179,252 58%
Republican Clay Cope 129,801 42%
Democratic hold Swing
Turnout 309,053 100%

List of representatives

Representative Party Service Electoral history
District organized from Connecticut's at-large congressional district in 1837
Lancelot Phelps Democratic March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1839
Retired
Truman Smith Whig March 4, 1839 –
March 3, 1843
Retired
District eliminated after the 1840 Census
District organized from Connecticut's at-large congressional district in 1913
William Kennedy Democratic March 4, 1913 –
March 3, 1915
Lost re-election.
James P. Glynn Republican March 4, 1915 –
March 3, 1923
Lost re-election.
Patrick B. O'Sullivan Democratic March 4, 1923 –
March 3, 1925
Lost re-election.
James P. Glynn Republican March 4, 1925 –
March 6, 1930
Died.
Vacant March 6, 1930 –
November 4, 1930
Edward W. Goss Republican November 4, 1930 –
January 3, 1935
Lost re-election.
J. Joseph Smith Democratic January 3, 1935 –
November 4, 1941
Resigned when appointed Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals
Vacant November 4, 1941 –
January 20, 1942
Joseph E. Talbot Republican January 20, 1942 –
January 3, 1947
Retired to run for Governor of Connecticut.
James T. Patterson Republican January 3, 1947 –
January 3, 1959
Lost re-election.
John S. Monagan Democratic January 3, 1959 –
January 3, 1973
Lost re-election.
Ronald A. Sarasin Republican January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1979
Retired to run for Governor of Connecticut.
William R. Ratchford Democratic January 3, 1979 –
January 3, 1985
Lost re-election.
John G. Rowland Republican January 3, 1985 –
January 3, 1991
Retired to run for Governor of Connecticut.
Gary Franks Republican January 3, 1991 –
January 3, 1997
Lost re-election.
James H. Maloney Democratic January 3, 1997 –
January 3, 2003
Redistricted to the 6th district and lost re-election there.
Nancy Johnson Republican January 3, 2003 –
January 3, 2007
Lost re-election.
Chris Murphy Democratic January 3, 2007 –
January 3, 2013
Retired to run for U.S. Senate.
Elizabeth Esty Democratic January 3, 2013 –
Present
First elected in 2012.

Living former Members

As of March 2017, six former members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 5th congressional district are alive. The most recent representative to die was William R. Ratchford (1979-1985) on January 2, 2011.

Representative Term in office Date of birth (and age)
Ronald A. Sarasin 1973-1979 December 31, 1934
John G. Rowland 1985–1991 May 24, 1957
Gary Franks 1991–1997 February 9, 1953
James H. Maloney 1997–2003 September 17, 1948
Nancy Johnson 2003–2007 January 5, 1935
Chris Murphy 2007–2013 August 3, 1973

Historical district boundaries

2003 - 2013

See also

References

  1. "Partisan Voting Index – Districts of the 115th Congress" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. April 7, 2017. Retrieved April 7, 2017.
  2. "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 30, 2012" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-09-23. Retrieved 2012-10-30.
Preceded by
2010 elections
United States House elections in Connecticut
2012
Succeeded by
2014 elections

Coordinates: 41°41′40″N 73°12′36″W / 41.69444°N 73.21000°W / 41.69444; -73.21000

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