- Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district
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"PA-7" redirects here. PA-7 may also refer to Pennsylvania Route 7.
Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district 
Current Representative Pat Meehan (R–Drexel Hill) Distribution 98.56% urban, 1.44% rural Population (2000) 646,522 Median income $56,126 Ethnicity 89.2% White, 5.5% Black, 3.7% Asian, 1.3% Hispanic, 0.1% Native American, 0.1% other Cook PVI D+3 Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district incorporates parts of the Philadelphia suburbs, including most of Delaware County. It is currently represented by Republican Pat Meehan in the 112th United States Congress.
Ben Affleck's character in the movie State of Play is Congressman Stephen Collins, who represents the district.
Contents
Geography
The district is located in Southeast Pennsylvania. It contains the western and northwestern suburbs of Philadelphia. It consists of the majority of Delaware County (except for the City of Chester and some of the eastern boroughs), a portion of Chester County east of West Chester, and a portion of southern Montgomery County in the affluent Main Line area.
Demographics
The district encompasses an area of diverse wealth, ranging from blue collar and working class households in the southeastern portions of Delaware County (mostly around in the oil refinery areas of Marcus Hook and Trainer) to the southern and western portions of the affluent Main Line area of Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. The district is the home of several major colleges and universities, including Widener University; Swarthmore College; Haverford College; Villanova University; Bryn Mawr College; Penn State Brandywine; Delaware County Community College; and Cheyney University, the first traditionally black college in the U.S. The district is also the home of Boeing's helicopter facility in Ridley Park. Chester, the largest city in Delaware County, is not represented by the district (it is under the 1st Congressional District, which also includes South Philadelphia), but receives attention from the district due to Chester's influence to the rest of the county.
Representatives
1791-1793: One seat
District created in 1791 from the at-large district
Representative Party Years District home Note Thomas Hartley Pro-Administration March 4, 1791 - March 3, 1793 Redistricted from the At-large district;
Redistricted to the At-large districtDistrict redistricted in 1793 to the at-large district
1795-1823: One seat
District created in 1795 from the at-large district
Representative Party Years District home Note John W. Kittera Federalist March 4, 1795 - March 3, 1801 Redistricted from the At-large district Thomas Boude Federalist March 4, 1801 - March 3, 1803 John Rea Democratic-Republican March 4, 1803 - March 3, 1811 William Piper Democratic-Republican March 4, 1811 - March 3, 1813 Redistricted to the 8th district John M. Hyneman Democratic-Republican March 4, 1813 - August 2, 1813 Redistricted from the 3rd district;
ResignedVacant August 2, 1813 – October 12, 1813 Daniel Udree Democratic-Republican October 12, 1813 – March 3, 1815 Lost re-election Joseph Hiester Democratic-Republican March 4, 1815 – December ????, 1820 Resigned to become Governor of Pennsylvania Vacant December ????, 1820 – December 26, 1820
[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]Daniel Udree Democratic-Republican December 26, 1820 – March 3, 1821 Ludwig Worman Federalist March 4, 1821 – October 17, 1822 Earl Township Died Vacant October 17, 1822 – December 10, 1822 Daniel Udree Democratic-Republican December 10, 1822 – March 3, 1823 1823-1833: Two seats
Seat A
Representative Party Years Congress Note Henry Wilson Jackson Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 18th Died Jacksonian March 4, 1825 – August 24, 1826 19th Vacant August 24, 1826 – December 4, 1826 Jacob Krebs Jacksonian December 4, 1826 – March 3, 1827 Joseph Fry, Jr. Jacksonian March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1831 20th
21stRetired Henry King Jacksonian March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833 22nd Redistricted to the 8th district Seat B
Representative Party Years Congress Note Daniel Udree Jackson Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 18th William Addams Jacksonian March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1829 19th
20thHenry A. P. Muhlenberg Jacksonian March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1833 21st
22ndRedistricted to the 9th district 1833 - Present: One seat
Representative Party Years District home Note David D. Wagener Jacksonian March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837 Easton Democratic March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1841 John Westbrook Democratic March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843 Dingmans Ferry Retired Abraham R. McIlvaine Whig March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1849 Downingtown Lost renomination Jesse C. Dickey Whig March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851 New London Lost re-election John A. Morrison Democratic March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 Cochranville Samuel A. Bridges Democratic March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 Allentown Lost re-election Samuel C. Bradshaw Opposition March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 Quakertown Lost re-election Henry Chapman Democratic March 4, 1857 –March 3, 1859 Doylestown Retired Henry C. Longnecker Republican March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861 Allentown Thomas B. Cooper Democratic March 4, 1861 – April 4, 1862 Coopersburg Died Vacant April 4, 1862 – June 3, 1862 John D. Stiles Democratic June 3, 1862 – March 3, 1863 Allentown Redistricted to the 6th district John M. Broomall Republican March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1869 Media Retired Washington Townsend Republican March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1875 West Chester Redistricted to the 6th district Alan Wood, Jr. Republican March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 Philadelphia Retired Isaac N. Evans Republican March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879 Doylestown Retired William Godshalk Republican March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1883 Hatboro Retired Isaac N. Evans Republican March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887 Hatboro Retired Robert M. Yardley Republican March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1891 Doylestown Retired Edwin Hallowell Democratic March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 Lost re-election Irving P. Wanger Republican March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1903 Redistricted to the 8th district Thomas S. Butler Republican March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1923 Uwchlan Township Redistricted from the 6th district;
Redistricted to the 8th districtGeorge P. Darrow Republican March 4, 1923 – January 3, 1937 Philadelphia Redistricted from the 6th district;
Lost re-electionIra W. Drew Democratic January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1939 Philadelphia Lost re-election George P. Darrow Republican January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1941 Philadelphia Retired Hugh Scott Republican January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1945 Philadelphia Lost re-election James Wolfenden Republican January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947 Upper Darby Township Redistricted from the 8th district;
RetiredE. Wallace Chadwick Republican January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949 Radnor Township Lost renomination Benjamin F. James Republican January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1959 Radnor Township Retired William H. Milliken, Jr. Republican January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1965 Sharon Hill Retired G. Robert Watkins Republican January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1967 West Chester Redistricted to the 9th district Lawrence G. Williams Republican January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1975 Springfield, Delaware County Lost re-election Robert W. Edgar Democratic January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1987 Springfield, Delaware County Did not seek re-election; ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate against Arlen Specter Curt Weldon Republican January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2007 Marcus Hook Lost re-election Joe Sestak Democratic January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 Edgmont Township Did not seek re-election in 2010; ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate instead. Pat Meehan Republican January 3, 2011 - present Drexel Hill Incumbent Recent electoral history
2010 election
Main article: Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district election, 2010In 2009, incumbent Representative Joe Sestak decided to retire from the seat to challenge Sen. Arlen Specter (D) in a primary election. State Representative Bryan Lentz of the 161st State Legislative District decided to run for the open seat, and was endorsed by the Delaware County Democratic Committee. Pat Meehan, the former United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and former Delaware County, Pennsylvania District Attorney, D.A. was the Republican running for the seat. Jim Schneller, an independent candidate with the party label "American Congress Party" was also a ballot qualified candidate. Pat Meehan ended up winning the general election on Nov 2, 2010 by a 55% to 44% margin over Lentz.
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
Pennsylvania's congressional districts All districts: At-large 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
The 20th-36th and At-large districts are obsolete
See also: Pennsylvania's past & present Representatives, Senators, and Delegations, 2010 elections, 2012 elections
All U.S. districts – Apportionment – Redistricting – Gerrymandering – MapsCategories:- Congressional districts of Pennsylvania
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