Texas's 17th congressional district

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Texas's 17th congressional district
Texas US Congressional District 17 (since 2021).tif
Texas's 17th congressional district – since January 3, 2023.
Representative
  Pete Sessions
RWaco
Distribution
  • 75.28% urban [1]
  • 24.72% rural
Population (2022)781,996 [2]
Median household
income
$63,266 [3]
Ethnicity
Cook PVI R+14 [4]

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. [5] [6] The district is currently represented by Republican Pete Sessions.

Contents

From 2005 to 2013, it was an oblong district stretching from south of Tarrant County to Grimes County in the southeast. The 2012 redistricting made its area more square, removing the northern and southeastern portions, adding areas southwest into the northern Austin suburbs and east into Freestone and Leon counties. The district included two major universities, Texas A&M University in College Station and Baylor University in Waco.

Before 2005, the district stretched from the Abilene area to the outer western fringes of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

History

After the 2003 Texas redistricting, engineered by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, TX-17 was (along with MS-4) the most heavily Republican district in the nation to be represented by a Democrat, according to the Cook Partisan Voting Index, which rated it R+20. [7] The district was drawn to make it Republican-dominated and unseat its longtime incumbent, conservative Democrat Chet Edwards. While several of his colleagues were defeated by Republicans in 2004, Edwards held on to the seat in the 2004, 2006 and 2008 elections.

But in the 2010 Congressional elections, the district elected Republican Bill Flores over Edwards by a margin of 61.8% to 36.6%. [8] Flores was the first Republican to be elected to represent the district since its creation in 1919. Flores retired after five terms and former Texas 32nd district Congressman Pete Sessions, a Waco native, was elected in 2020.

After passage of civil rights legislation and other changes, through the late 20th and early 21st centuries, white conservatives began to shift into the Republican Party in Texas. They first supported presidential candidates, and gradually more Republicans for local, state and national office, resulting in the 2010 switch in party representation.

List of members representing the district

Member
(Residence)
PartyYearsCong
ress
Electoral history
District established March 4, 1919
Thomas Lindsay Blanton in 1917.jpg
Thomas L. Blanton
(Abilene)
Democratic March 4, 1919 –
March 3, 1929
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
Redistricted from the 16th district and re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator (lost nomination).
Robert Quincy Lee (US Congressman from Texas).jpg
Robert Q. Lee
(Cisco)
Democratic March 4, 1929 –
April 18, 1930
71st Elected in 1928.
Died.
VacantApril 18, 1930 –
May 20, 1930
Thomas Lindsay Blanton in 1917.jpg
Thomas L. Blanton
(Abilene)
Democratic May 20, 1930 –
January 3, 1937
71st
72nd
73rd
74th
Elected to finish Lee's term.
Re-elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Lost renomination.
ClydeLGarrett.jpg
Clyde L. Garrett
(Eastland)
Democratic January 3, 1937 –
January 3, 1941
75th
76th
Elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Lost renomination.
Gordon James Russell.jpg
Sam M. Russell
(Stephenville)
Democratic January 3, 1941 –
January 3, 1947
77th
78th
79th
Elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Retired.
Omar Burleson.jpg
Omar Burleson
(Anson)
Democratic January 3, 1947 –
December 31, 1978
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
90th
91st
92nd
93rd
94th
95th
Elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
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.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Retired then resigned.
VacantDecember 31, 1978 –
January 3, 1979
95th
CharlesStenholm.jpg
Charles Stenholm
(Abilene)
Democratic January 3, 1979 –
January 3, 2005
96th
97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
108th
Elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Redistricted to the 19th district and lost re-election.
111edwardsc-tx17.jpg
Chet Edwards
(Waco)
Democratic January 3, 2005 –
January 3, 2011
109th
110th
111th
Redistricted from the 11th district and re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Lost re-election.
Bill Flores 113th Congress.jpg
Bill Flores
(Bryan)
Republican January 3, 2011 –
January 3, 2021
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
Elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Retired.
Pete Sessions Congressional ID photo 117.jpg
Pete Sessions
(Waco)
Republican January 3, 2021 –
present
117th
118th
Elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.

Election results from presidential races

YearOfficeResult
2000 President Bush 70 – 28%
2004 President Bush 70 – 30%
2008 President McCain 67 – 32%
2012 President Romney 60 – 38%
2016 President Trump 56 – 38%
2020 President Trump 55 – 44%

Election results

US House election, 2022: Texas District 17
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Pete Sessions (incumbent)144,40866.48+10.5
Democratic Mary Jo Woods72,80133.52-7.4
Total votes217,209 100.0
Republican hold Swing +10.5
US House election, 2020: Texas District 17
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Pete Sessions 171,39055.9-0.9
Democratic Rick Kennedy125,56540.92-0.4
Libertarian Ted Brown9,9183.2+1.3
Majority45,82514.9
Turnout 306,873
Republican hold Swing -0.9
US House election, 2018: Texas District 17
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Bill Flores (incumbent)134,84156.8-4.01
Democratic Rick Kennedy98,07041.3+6.06
Libertarian Clark Patterson4,4401.9-2.05
Majority36,77115.5
Turnout 237,351
Republican hold Swing -4.01
US House election, 2016: Texas District 17
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Bill Flores (incumbent)149,41760.81-3.77
Democratic William Matta86,60335.24+2.84
Libertarian Clark Patterson9,7083.95+0.93
Majority53,10621.6
Turnout 245,728
Republican hold Swing -3.77
US House election, 2014: Texas District 17
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Bill Flores (incumbent)85,80764.58-15.35
Democratic Nick Haynes43,04932.4
Libertarian Shawn Michael Hamilton4,0093.02-17.05
Majority38,74929.16
Turnout 132,865
Republican hold Swing -15.35
US House election, 2012: Texas District 17
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Bill Flores (incumbent)143,284 [9] 79.93+34.8
Libertarian Ben Easton35,97820.07119
Majority107,306
Turnout 179,2624.23
Republican hold Swing +18.14
US House election, 2010: Texas District 17
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Bill Flores 106,27561.79+16.28
Democratic Chet Edwards (incumbent)62,92636.59-16.39
Libertarian Richard Kelly2,7871.62+0.11
Majority43,34925.2+17.73
Turnout 171,988
Republican gain from Democratic Swing +16.34
US House election, 2008: Texas District 17
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Chet Edwards (incumbent)134,59252.98-5.14
Republican Rob Curnock115,58145.51+5.21
Libertarian Gardner C. Osbourne3,8491.51-0.07
Majority19,0117.47-10.35
Turnout 254,022
Democratic hold Swing -5.18
US House election, 2006: Texas District 17
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Chet Edwards (incumbent)92,47858.12+6.92
Republican Van Taylor 64,14240.30-7.11
Libertarian Guillermo Acosta2,5041.58+0.19
Majority28,33617.82+14.03
Turnout 159,124
Democratic hold Swing +7.02
US House election, 2004: Texas District 17
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Chet Edwards 125,30951.20-0.17
Republican Arlene Wohlgemuth 116,04947.41+0.03
Libertarian Clyde Garland3,3901.39+0.14
Majority9,2603.79-0.19
Turnout 244,748
Democratic hold Swing -0.1
US House election, 2002: Texas District 17
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Charlie Stenholm (incumbent)84,13651.37
Republican Rob Beckham77,62247.38
Libertarian Fred Jones2,0461.25
Majority6,5143.98
Turnout 163,804
Democratic hold Swing

Historical district boundaries

2007-2013 TX17 109.gif
2007–2013
2013-2023 Texas US Congressional District 17 (since 2013).tif
2013–2023

See also

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References

  1. Geography. "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (state-based)". www.census.gov.
  2. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov.{{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP). "My Congressional District". www.census.gov.
  4. "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  5. "Pelosi continues to tout Texas Rep. Chet Edwards for VP". Texas on the Potomac (blog). Houston Chronicle. August 3, 2008. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
  6. Vlahos, Kelley (March 7, 2006). "Texas Rep. Edwards Beats Odds, but Faces Iraq War Vet in Midterm". Fox News. Retrieved March 25, 2007.
  7. Texas 17th District Profile Congressional Quarterly. May 14, 2010.
  8. 2010 Texas Election Results New York Times. November 13, 2010.
  9. United States House of Representatives elections in Texas, 2012#District 17

Sources

31°09′13″N96°39′57″W / 31.15361°N 96.66583°W / 31.15361; -96.66583