- Massachusetts's 5th congressional district
-
Massachusetts's 5th congressional district 
Current Representative Niki Tsongas (D–Lowell) Area 565.75 mi² Distribution 60.11% urban, 39.89% rural Population (2000) 635,223 Median income $56,217 Ethnicity 79.6% White, 1.6% Black, 5.3% Asian, 11.7% Hispanic, 0.2% Native American, 1.6% other Occupation 20.9% blue collar, 66.9% white collar, 12.1% gray collar Cook PVI D+8 Massachusetts's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in northeastern Massachusetts. It contains the cities of Lowell, Lawrence, Haverhill, and Methuen. The seat is held by Democrat Niki Tsongas having won a special election on October 16, 2007.
Contents
Cities and towns in the district
The district currently contains the following municipalities:
In Essex County:
- Acton, Ayer, Billerica, Boxborough, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Groton, Hudson, Littleton, Lowell, Maynard, Shirley, Stow, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, Wayland (Precincts 1, 3, and 4), Westford.
In Worcester County:
Demographics
The district has been in Democratic hands without interruption since 1974. Before Paul Tsongas' victory that year, it had only elected three Democrats in its entire existence and had been in Republican hands since 1895.
Although its Cook Partisan Voting Index score would indicate a safe Democratic district, it is actually one of the more moderate districts in heavily Democratic Massachusetts. In state races, it supported Republican candidates for Governor William Weld, Paul Celluci, and Mitt Romney and only narrowly supported Deval Patrick, who won by a large margin statewide.[citation needed] In the 2007 special election to replace Marty Meehan, Republican candidate Jim Ogonowski ran an unexpectedly strong race, ultimately losing 51-45%.
Recent election results
U.S. House election, 1990: Massachusetts District 5 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Chester G. Atkins 110,232 49.85 Republican John MacGovern 101,017 45.68 Other 9,891 4.47 Turnout 221,140 Democratic hold Swing U.S. House election, 1992: Massachusetts District 5 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Marty Meehan 133,844 52.17 +2.32 Republican Paul W. Cronin 96,206 37.50 -8.18 Independent Mary Farinelli 19,077 7.44 +7.44 Independent David E. Coleman 7,214 2.81 +2.81 Write-in 223 0.09 -4.38 Turnout 256,564 Democratic hold Swing +2.32 U.S. House election, 1994: Massachusetts District 5 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Marty Meehan 140,725 69.83 +17.66 Republican David E. Coleman 60,734 30.14 -7.36 Write-in 65 0.03 -0.06 Turnout 201,524 Democratic hold Swing +17.66 U.S. House election, 1996: Massachusetts District 5 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Marty Meehan 183,429 99.08 +29.25 Republican Unopposed -30.14 Write-in 1,708 0.92 +0.89 Turnout 185,137 Democratic hold Swing +29.25 U.S. House election, 1998: Massachusetts District 5 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Marty Meehan 127,418 70.70 -28.38 Republican David E. Coleman 52,725 29.25 +29.25 Write-in 87 0.05 -0.87 Turnout 180,230 Democratic hold Swing -28.38 U.S. House election, 2000: Massachusetts District 5 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Marty Meehan 199,601 98.02 +27.32 Republican Unopposed -29.25 Write-in 4,040 1.98 +1.93 Turnout 203,641 Democratic hold Swing +27.32 U.S. House election, 2002: Massachusetts District 5 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Marty Meehan 122,562 60.15 -37.87 Republican Charles McCarthy 69,337 34.03 +34.03 Libertarian Ilana Freedman 11,729 5.76 +5.76 Write-in 149 0.07 -1.91 Turnout 203,777 Democratic hold Swing -37.87 U.S. House election, 2004: Massachusetts District 5 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Marty Meehan 179,652 66.99 +6.84 Republican Thomas Tierney 88,232 32.90 -1.13 Write-in 305 0.11 +0.04 Turnout 268,189 Democratic hold Swing +6.84 U.S. House election, 2006: Massachusetts District 5 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Marty Meehan 159,120 98.98 +31.99 Republican Unopposed -32.90 Write-in 3,152 1.02 +0.91 Turnout 216,832 Democratic hold Swing +31.99 Special election, 2007: Massachusetts District 5 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Niki Tsongas 54,363 51.32 -47.66 Republican Jim Ogonowski 47,770 45.10 +45.10 Independent Patrick Murphy 2,170 2.05 +2.05 Independent Kurt Hayes 1,125 1.06 +1.06 Constitution Kevin Thompson 494 0.47 +0.47 Turnout 105,922 Democratic hold Swing -47.66 U.S. House election, 2008: Massachusetts District 5 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Niki Tsongas 225,947 98.71 +37.39 Republican Unopposed -45.10 All Others 2,960 1.29 -2.29 Turnout 302,397 Democratic hold Swing +37.39 U.S. House election, 2010: Massachusetts District 5 Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Niki Tsongas 122,858 54.84 -43.87 Republican Jonathan A. Golnik 94,646 42.25 +42.25 Independent Dale E. Brown 4,387 1.96 +1.96 Independent Robert M. Clark 1,991 0.89 +0.89 All Others 147 0.07 -1.22 Turnout 229,647 Democratic hold Swing -43.87 List of Representatives
Representative Party Years ↑ District home Note 
George PartridgePro-
AdministrationMarch 4, 1789 –
August 14, 1790Duxbury Resigned Vacant August 15, 1790 –
March 4, 1791 Shearjashub BournePro-
AdministrationMarch 4, 1791 –
March 4, 1793Boston Redistricted to 3rd district District eliminated March 4, 1793 –
March 4, 1795 Nathaniel Freeman, Jr.Democratic-
RepublicanMarch 4, 1795 –
March 4, 1799Sandwich Lemuel WilliamsFederalist March 4, 1799 –
March 4, 1803New Bedford Redistricted to 8th district Thomas DwightFederalist March 4, 1803 –
March 4, 1805Springfield William ElyFederalist March 4, 1805 –
March 4, 1815Springfield Elijah H. MillsFederalist March 4, 1815 –
March 4, 1819Northampton Samuel LathropFederalist March 4, 1819 –
March 4, 1823West Springfield Redistricted to the 8th district Jonas SibleyAdams-Clay
RepublicanMarch 4, 1823 –
March 4, 1825Sutton Lost re-election John DavisAdams March 4, 1825 –
March 4, 1829Worcester Resigned after election to Governor National
RepublicanMarch 4, 1829 –
January 14, 1834Vacant January 15, 1834 –
February 16, 1834
Levi Lincoln, Jr.National
RepublicanFebruary 17, 1834 –
March 4, 1837Worcester Resigned after appointment to Collector of the Port of Boston Whig March 4, 1837 –
March 16, 1841Vacant March 17, 1841 –
May 2, 1841 Charles HudsonWhig May 3, 1841 –
March 4, 1849Westminster Charles AllenFree Soil March 4, 1849 –
March 4, 1853Worcester Redistricted to the 9th district William AppletonWhig May 3, 1853 –
March 4, 1855Boston Redistricted from the 1st district
Lost re-election Anson BurlingameAmerican March 4, 1855 –
March 4, 1857Boston Republican March 4, 1857 –
March 4, 1861 William AppletonConstitutional Unionist March 4, 1861 –
September 27, 1861Boston Resigned because of failing health Vacant September 28, 1861 –
December 1, 1861 Samuel HooperRepublican December 2, 1861 –
March 4, 1863Boston Redistricted to the 4th district John B. AlleyRepublican March 4, 1863 –
March 4, 1867Lynn Redistricted from 6th district Benjamin F. ButlerRepublican March 4, 1867 –
March 4, 1873Lowell Redistricted to the 6th district Daniel W. GoochRepublican March 4, 1873 –
March 4, 1875Melrose Lost re-election 
Nathaniel P. BanksIndependent March 4, 1875 –
March 4, 1877Waltham Republican March 4, 1877 –
March 4, 1879 Selwyn Z. BowmanRepublican March 4, 1879 –
March 4, 1883Somerville Leopold MorseDemocratic March 4, 1883 –
March 4, 1885Boston Redistricted from the 4th district Edward D. HaydenRepublican March 4, 1885 –
March 4, 1889Woburn Nathaniel P. BanksRepublican March 4, 1889 –
March 4, 1891Waltham Redistricted from the 8th district
Retired Sherman HoarDemocratic March 4, 1891 –
March 4, 1893Concord Moses T. StephensDemocratic March 4, 1893 –
March 4, 1895North Andover Redistricted from the 8th district William S. KnoxRepublican March 4, 1895 –
March 4, 1903Lawrence Retired Butler AmesRepublican March 4, 1903 –
March 4, 1913Lowell Retired John Jacob RogersRepublican March 4, 1913 –
March 28, 1925Lowell Died Vacant March 28, 1925 –
June 30, 1925 Edith Nourse RogersRepublican June 30, 1925 –
September 10, 1960Lowell Died Vacant September 10, 1960 –
January 3, 1961 Frank Bradford MorseRepublican January 3, 1961 –
May 1, 1972Lowell Resigned after appointment to Under Secretary General for Political and General Assembly Affairs at the United Nations Vacant May 1, 1972 –
January 3, 1973 Paul W. CroninRepublican January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1975Andover Lost re-election 
Paul TsongasDemocratic January 3, 1975 –
January 3, 1979Lowell Retired to run for U.S. Senate James ShannonDemocratic January 3, 1979 –
January 3, 1985Lawrence Retired to run for U.S. Senate Chester G. AtkinsDemocratic January 3, 1985 –
January 3, 1993Concord Lost renomination 
Marty MeehanDemocratic January 3, 1993 –
July 1, 2007Lowell Resigned to become Chancellor of University of Massachusetts Lowell Vacant July 1, 2007 –
October 16, 2007
Niki TsongasDemocratic October 16, 2007 –
presentLowell Special election, Incumbent Representative Party Years ↑ District home Note References
- 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
External links
Maps
- Map of Massachusetts's 5th Congressional District, via Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
Election results
- CNN.com 2004 election results
- CNN.com 2006 election results
- Associated Press 2007 election results
- Massachusetts Elections Division 2008 Return of Votes
Massachusetts's congressional districts 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 – MapsCategories:- Congressional districts of Massachusetts
- Government of Essex County, Massachusetts
- Government of Middlesex County, Massachusetts
- Government in Worcester County, Massachusetts
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