Tennessee's 7th congressional district

Last updated • 4 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Tennessee's 7th congressional district
Tennessee's 7th congressional district (since 2023).svg
Tennessee's 7th congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative
Population (2023)813,590 [1]
Median household
income
$74,881 [2]
Ethnicity
Cook PVI R+10 [3]

The 7th congressional district of Tennessee is a congressional district located in parts of Middle and West Tennessee. It has been represented by Republican Mark Green since January 2019. The seventh district has significant urban, suburban, and rural areas. Although most of the area is rural, more than half of the district's votes are cast in either Davidson County (Nashville), Montgomery County (Clarksville), or Williamson County (Franklin).

Contents

By most measures, Williamson County is the wealthiest county in the state and is usually ranked near the top nationally. [4]

The district has a very strong military presence, as it includes Tennessee's share of Fort Campbell. Politically speaking, the area was secessionist and part of the Democrats' "Solid South" for a century after the Civil War, excluding heavily Republican Unionist Highland Rim Wayne County. Starting with the election of Don Sundquist in 1983, this district has become one of the most Republican areas in Tennessee. The presence of Nashville's suburbs gives it a character similar to those of most affluent suburban districts in much of the South until the mid-2000s. It has a strong social conservative bent; many of the state's most politically active churches are either located here or draw most of their congregations from here.

The rural secessionist counties are similar demographically to the 8th district and returned to the Democrats until the 2000s; three of the five Tennessee counties won by George McGovern lie within this district. However, since the mid-2000s, these counties have turned overwhelmingly Republican in all elections. Currently, the only Democratic stronghold in the district is part of Nashville, which was added during the 2020 redistricting cycle. The city of Clarksville is the most competitive part of the district, which still occasionally elects Democrats to the state legislature.

History

Districts stretching from Clarksville to West Tennessee have existed in one form or another since 1871. For most of the time, from 1933 to 1983 (except for 1943 to 1953), it was numbered as the 6th district.

This district assumed something approaching its current configuration in 1973, when Tennessee lost a congressional district. At that time, the 6th was redrawn to stretch from Williamson County, south of Nashville, to the eastern suburbs of Memphis and covering the rural areas in between. Republican Robin Beard represented this area from 1973 to 1983.

Tennessee gained a congressional district following the 1980 census. At this time, the district was re-numbered as the 7th and lost its eastern counties to the 4th and 6th districts. At the same time, most of its black residents closer to Memphis were drawn into the 9th district. Following this re-districting, Beard made an unsuccessful U.S. Senate bid, and was replaced by former Shelby County Republican Party chair Don Sundquist.

Sundquist served through the rest of the 1980s through the 1990 re-districting, which saw the district lose some of its rural counties while picking up Maury County. In 1994, Sundquist successfully ran for Governor of Tennessee, defeating future governor Phil Bredesen. Sundquist was then replaced by Ed Bryant. Bryant served from 1995 until 2002, when the district was gerrymandered by the Democrat-led Tennessee General Assembly to pack the consistently Republican suburbs of Nashville and Memphis into one district. The result was a district that was 200 miles (320 km) long, but only two miles (3.2 km) wide at some points in the Middle Tennessee portion. Following that re-districting, the area chose Brentwood-based state senator Marsha Blackburn. She served from 2003 to 2019.

Redistricting after the 2010 census made the district somewhat more compact, restoring a configuration similar to the 1983-2003 lines. However, it lost its share of the Memphis suburbs to the 8th, a move which made the 8th as heavily Republican as the 7th. In 2018, Blackburn successfully ran for the U.S. Senate, defeating former governor Phil Bredesen. In the concurrent election, the district selected doctor and former state senator Mark E. Green.

Redistricting after the 2020 census made the district somewhat less Republican. This was because Tennessee's legislature cracked Davidson County into 3 congressional districts to boost Republican support in the 5th district. The 7th district now obtains the western portion of Nashville while it lost some rural counties to the 8th district. [5] [6]

Despite the dramatic changes to the district's boundaries, the district is still considered safe Republican, with a Cook PVI of R+10. [7] Republican Congressman Mark Green still represents the district to this day.

Current boundaries

The district is located in both West and Middle Tennessee. It stretches as far north as the Kentucky border, as far south as the Alabama border, as far east as Franklin, and as far west as Camden.

It is currently composed of the following counties: Cheatham, Dickson, Decatur, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery, Perry, Robertson, Stewart, and Wayne. It also includes significant portions of Benton, Davidson, and Williamson.

Recent election results

Results under old lines (2013-2023)
2012 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Marsha Blackburn (Incumbent) 182,730 71.0
Democratic Credo Amouzouvik61,67924.0
Green Howard Switzer4,6401.8
Independent Jack Arnold4,2561.7
Independent William Akin2,7401.1
Independent Lenny Ladner1,2610.5
Total votes257,306 100
Republican hold
2014 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Marsha Blackburn (incumbent) 110,534 70.0
Democratic Daniel Cramer42,28026.8
Independent Leonard D. Ladner5,0933.2
Total votes157,907 100.0
Republican hold
2016 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Marsha Blackburn (incumbent) 200,407 72.2
Democratic Tharon Chandler65,22623.5
Independent Leonard D. Ladner11,8804.3
Total votes277,513 100.0
Republican hold
2018 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Mark Green 170,071 66.9
Democratic Justin Kanew81,66132.1
Independent Leonard Ladner1,5820.6
Independent Brent Legendre1,0700.4
Total votes254,384 100.0
Republican hold
2020 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Mark Green (incumbent) 245,188 69.9
Democratic Kiran Sreepada95,83927.3
Independent Ronald Brown7,6032.2
Independent Scott Vieira2,0050.6
Total votes350,635 100.0
Republican hold

Results under current lines (2023-present)

2022 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Mark Green (incumbent) 108,421 59.96%
Democratic Odessa Kelly68,97338.14%
Independent Steven J. Hooper3,4281.90%
Total votes180,822 100.00%
Republican hold
2024 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Mark Green (incumbent) 191,992 59.50%
Democratic Megan Barry 122,76438.05%
Independent Shaun Greene7,9002.45%
Total votes322,656 100.00%
Republican hold

Election results from statewide races

Results under older lines (1993–2023)

YearOfficeResult
2000 President George W. Bush 59% - Al Gore 40%
2004 President George W. Bush 66% - John Kerry 33%
2008 President John McCain 65% - Barack Obama 34%
2012 President Mitt Romney 65% - Barack Obama 33%
2016 President Donald Trump 67% - Hillary Clinton 28%
2020 President Donald Trump 66.9% - Joe Biden 31.3%

Results under new lines (2023–2033)

YearOfficeResult
2024 President Donald Trump 60.41% - Kamala Harris 38.13%

List of members representing the district

NamePartyYearsCong
ress
Electoral history
District established March 4, 1823
Thomas Flintoff - Sam Houston - Google Art Project.jpg
Sam Houston
(Nashville)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 - March 4, 1825 18th
19th
Elected in 1823.
Re-elected in 1825.
Retired to run for Governor of Tennessee.
Jacksonian March 4, 1825 - March 4, 1827
Hon. John Bell, Tenn - NARA - 528752.jpg
John Bell
(Nashville)
Jacksonian March 4, 1827 –
March 3, 1835
20th
21st
22nd
23rd
24th
25th
26th
Elected in 1827.
Re-elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
Re-elected in 1833.
Re-elected in 1835.
Re-elected in 1837.
Re-elected in 1839.
Retired to become U.S. Secretary of War.
Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1835 –
March 3, 1837
Whig March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1841
Robert-caruthers-grand-lodge.jpg
Robert L. Caruthers
(Lebanon)
Whig March 4, 1841 –
March 3, 1843
27th Elected in 1841.
Retired.
David W. Dickinson
(Murfreesboro)
Whig March 4, 1843 –
March 3, 1845
28th Elected in 1843.
Retired.
Meredith-gentry-tn1.png
Meredith P. Gentry
(Franklin)
Whig March 4, 1845 –
March 3, 1853
29th
30th
31st
32nd
Elected in 1845.
Re-elected in 1847.
Re-elected in 1849.
Re-elected in 1851.
Retired.
Robert M. Bugg
(Lynnville)
Whig March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1855
33rd Elected in 1853.
Retired.
Sketch of Hon. John V. Wright of Tennessee (cropped).png
John V. Wright
(Purdy)
Democratic March 4, 1855 –
March 3, 1861
34th
35th
36th
Elected in 1855.
Re-elected in 1857.
Re-elected in 1859.
Could not seek re-election, as West Tennessee seceded.
District inactiveMarch 4, 1861 –
July 24, 1866
37th
38th
39th
Civil War and Reconstruction
IsaacRobertsHawkins.jpg
Isaac R. Hawkins
(Huntingdon)
Unionist July 24, 1866 –
March 3, 1867
39th
40th
41st
Elected in 1865.
Re-elected in 1867.
Re-elected in 1868.
Retired.
Republican March 4, 1867 –
March 3, 1871
RobertPorterCaldwell.jpg
Robert P. Caldwell
(Trenton)
Democratic March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1873
42nd Elected in 1870.
Lost renomination.
John DeWitt Clinton Atkins - Brady-Handy.jpg
John Atkins
(Paris)
Democratic March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1875
43rd Elected in 1872.
Redistricted to the 8th district .
Washington C. Whitthorne - Brady-Handy.jpg
Washington C. Whitthorne
(Columbia)
Democratic March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1883
44th
45th
46th
47th
Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Retired.
John Goff Ballantine (Tennessee Congressman).jpg
John G. Ballentine
(Pulaski)
Democratic March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1887
48th
49th
Elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Retired.
Washington C. Whitthorne - Brady-Handy.jpg
Washington C. Whitthorne
(Columbia)
Democratic March 4, 1887 –
March 4, 1891
50th
51st
Elected in 1886.
Re-elected in 1888.
Retired.
Nicholas N. Cox (Tennessee Congressman).jpg
Nicholas N. Cox
(Franklin)
Democratic March 4, 1891 –
March 3, 1901
52nd
53rd
54th
55th
56th
Elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Retired.
Portrait of Lemuel P. Padgett.jpg
Lemuel P. Padgett
(Columbia)
Democratic March 4, 1901 –
August 2, 1922
57th
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd
63rd
64th
65th
66th
67th
Elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Died.
VacantAugust 2, 1922 –
November 6, 1922
67th
ClarenceWTurner.jpg
Clarence W. Turner
(Waverly)
Democratic November 7, 1922 –
March 3, 1923
Elected to finish Padgett's term.
Retired.
WilliamCharlesSalmon.jpg
William C. Salmon
(Columbia)
Democratic March 4, 1923 –
March 3, 1925
68th Elected in 1922.
Retired.
Edward E. Eslick (Tennessee Congressman).jpg
Edward E. Eslick
(Pulaski)
Democratic March 4, 1925 –
June 14, 1932
69th
70th
71st
72nd
Elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Died.
VacantJune 14, 1932 –
August 12, 1932
72nd
Willa McCord Blake Eslick.jpg
Willa Eslick
(Pulaski)
Democratic August 13, 1932 –
March 3, 1933
Elected to finish her husband's term.
Retired.
Browning-gordon-harris-ewing.jpg
Gordon Browning
(Huntingdon)
Democratic March 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1935
73rd Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1932.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Herron C. Pearson
(Jackson)
Democratic January 3, 1935 –
January 3, 1943
74th
75th
76th
77th
Elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Retired.
W. Wirt Courtney (Tennessee Congressman).jpg
W. Wirt Courtney
(Franklin)
Democratic January 3, 1943 –
January 3, 1949
78th
79th
80th
Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Lost renomination.
James Patrick Sutton (US Congressman).jpg
James P. Sutton
(Lawrenceburg)
Democratic January 3, 1949 –
January 3, 1953
81st
82nd
Elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Redistricted to the 6th district .
Tom J. Murray.jpg
Tom J. Murray
(Jackson)
Democratic January 3, 1953 –
December 30, 1966
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Lost renomination and resigned early.
VacantDecember 31, 1966 –
January 2, 1967
89th
Ray Blanton.jpg
Ray Blanton
(Adamsville)
Democratic January 3, 1967– January 3, 1973 90th
91st
92nd
Elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Ed Jones Congressional Photo.jpeg
Ed Jones
(Yorkville)
Democratic January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1983
93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th
Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Redistricted to the 8th district .
Don Sundquist 103rd Congress.jpg
Don Sundquist
(Memphis)
Republican January 3, 1983 –
January 3, 1995
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
Elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Retired to run for Governor of Tennessee.
EdBryant.jpg
Ed Bryant
(Henderson)
Republican January 3, 1995 –
January 3, 2003
104th
105th
106th
107th
Elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Marsha Blackburn 6.jpg
Marsha Blackburn
(Brentwood)
Republican January 3, 2003 –
January 3, 2019
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th
114th
115th
Elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Mark Green, official portrait, 116th Congress.jpg
Mark E. Green
(Clarksville)
Republican January 3, 2019 –
present
116th
117th
118th
Elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
Re-elected in 2024.

Historical district boundaries

2003-2013 TN07 109.gif
2003–2013
2013-2023 Tennessee US Congressional District 7 (since 2013).tif
2013–2023

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas's 7th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Texas

Texas's 7th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives comprises a small area of southwestern Houston and Harris County, along with a northern portion of suburban Fort Bend County. As of the 2000 census, the 7th district comprises 651,620 people. Since 2019, it has been represented by Democrat Lizzie Fletcher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas's 17th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Texas

Texas's 17th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives includes a strip of Central Texas and Deep East Texas stretching from Nacogdoches to Waco and Round Rock, including former President George W. Bush's McLennan County ranch. The district is currently represented by Republican Pete Sessions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas's 23rd congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Texas

Texas's 23rd congressional district stretches across the southwestern portion of Texas. It is a majority Hispanic district and has been represented by Republican Tony Gonzales since 2021.

The 5th congressional district of Tennessee is a congressional district in Middle Tennessee. It has been represented by Republican Andy Ogles since January 2023.

Arizona's 1st congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of Arizona, covering northeastern Maricopa County. Before 2023, geographically, it was the eleventh-largest congressional district in the country and included much of the state outside the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas. From 2013 through 2022, it also included the Navajo Nation, the Hopi reservation, and the Gila River Indian Community, with 25% of the population being Native American. At that time, the district had more Native Americans than any other congressional district in the United States. In the 2022 elections, David Schweikert was elected in the redefined district. It was one of 18 districts that would have voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election had they existed in their current configuration while being won or held by a Republican in 2022.

Georgia's 8th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Georgia. The district is currently represented by Republican Austin Scott.

Arizona's 8th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of Arizona. It includes many of the suburbs north and west of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona. The district includes several high-income retirement communities, including Sun City West.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington's 8th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Washington

Washington's 8th congressional district is a district for the United States House of Representatives located in western Washington State. It includes the eastern portions of King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, and crosses the Cascade Range to include Chelan and Kittitas counties, as well as a precinct in East Wenatchee in Douglas County. The district's western part includes the exurban communities of Sammamish, Issaquah, and Maple Valley but does not include Seattle and Tacoma's more immediate suburbs. On its east side, the 8th's population centers include the rural communities Wenatchee, Leavenworth, and Ellensburg. It is currently represented in the U.S. House of Representatives by Democrat Kim Schrier, who was first elected to the seat in 2018.

Tennessee's 9th congressional district is a congressional district in West Tennessee. It has been represented by Democrat Steve Cohen since 2007.

Arizona's 6th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of Arizona and encompasses all of Greenlee County, most of Cochise County, and parts of Pima County, Pinal County and Graham County. Most of its population resides in suburbs of Tucson, including Oro Valley, Marana, Green Valley, and Vail. The district is currently represented by Republican Juan Ciscomani. It was one of 18 districts that would have voted for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election had they existed in their current configuration while being won or held by a Republican in 2022.

Arizona's 4th congressional district is a congressional district located in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is represented by Democrat Greg Stanton as of the 2022 election. The district is located entirely within Maricopa County.

Arizona's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district that includes most of southern, western, and downtown Phoenix, along with a southern portion of Glendale. It is currently represented by Democrat Ruben Gallego.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina's 5th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for South Carolina

South Carolina's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in northern South Carolina bordering North Carolina. The district includes all of Cherokee, Chester, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Union and York counties and parts of Newberry, Spartanburg and Sumter counties. The bulk of its population lives on the South Carolina side of the Charlotte metropolitan area, including the rapidly growing cities of Rock Hill, Fort Mill, and Lake Wylie. Outside the Charlotte suburbs, the district is mostly rural and agricultural. The district borders were contracted from some of the easternmost counties in the 2012 redistricting.

The 4th congressional district of Tennessee is a congressional district in southern Tennessee. It has been represented by Republican Scott DesJarlais since January 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida's 4th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Florida

Florida's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in northeastern Florida, encompassing Nassau and Clay counties and Duval County west of the St. Johns River, including Downtown Jacksonville. The district is currently represented by Aaron Bean of the Republican Party.

The 6th congressional district of Tennessee is a congressional district in Middle Tennessee. It has been represented by Republican John Rose since January 2019.

The 8th congressional district of Tennessee is a congressional district in West Tennessee. It has been represented by Republican David Kustoff since January 2017. The district appears rural on a map, but the bulk of its vote is cast in the suburban and exurban areas around Memphis, such as Germantown, Bartlett, and Collierville, as well as Fayette and Tipton counties. This area boasts some of the highest median incomes in the state.

Memphis, Tennessee is governed by a mayor and thirteen city council members. Since 1995, as a result of a legal challenge, all council members are elected from nine geographic districts. Seven are single-member districts and two have three representatives each.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 Tennessee gubernatorial election</span>

The 2002 Tennessee gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 2002, to elect the next governor of Tennessee, alongside other state and local elections. Incumbent Republican governor Don Sundquist was term-limited and was prohibited by the Constitution of Tennessee from seeking a third consecutive term. To succeed him, former Democratic Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen, who had run against Sundquist in 1994, narrowly defeated Republican United States Congressman Van Hilleary in the general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee</span>

The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Tennessee were held on November 8, 2022, to elect the nine U.S. representatives from the state of Tennessee, one from each of the state's nine congressional districts. The elections coincided with other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections.

References

  1. "B03002: 2023 American Community Survey 1-year Estimates - Congressional District 7 (118th Congress), Tennessee". United States Census Bureau.
  2. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  3. "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  4. "7. Williamson County, TN (Median household income: $104,367)". Forbes. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  5. "GOP redraws Nashville from 1 Democratic district into 3 Republican-leaning districts". WJCT News . July 26, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  6. Witherspoon, Andrew; Levine, Sam (January 26, 2022). "A masterclass in election-rigging: how Republicans 'dismembered' a Democratic stronghold". The Guardian . Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  7. "2022 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. July 12, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2024.

35°38′02″N87°49′59″W / 35.63389°N 87.83306°W / 35.63389; -87.83306