Florida's 16th congressional district

Infobox U.S. congressional district
state = Florida
district number = 16

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representative = Tim Mahoney
party = Democratic
english area =
metric area =
percent urban =
percent rural =
population = 639,295
population year = 2000
median income = 39,408
percent white = 87.9
percent black = 6.0
percent asian = 1.0
percent native american = 0.4
percent hispanic = 10.1
percent other race = 0.1
percent blue collar =
percent white collar =
percent gray collar =
cpvi = R + 2

Florida's 16th Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in Florida. The seat is currently served by the victor in the 2006 midterm elections Democrat Tim Mahoney. The seat became vacant after the sudden resignation of Republican Mark Foley on September 29, 2006, after it became public that he had sent inappropriate emails to teenage former Congressional pages. [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6114675,00.html Foley Resigns From Congress Over E-Mails] , Guardian Unlimited; [http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/9/29/151919/169 FL-16: Foley Resigning] , Daily Kos; [http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aXfoFjVMcIrU&refer=home Florida Republican Foley Resigns From U.S. House Seat] , Bloomberg.com] (See Mark Foley scandal.)

Geography

The district stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic coast. It includes parts of Charlotte, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach counties. When the Florida legislature redistricted in 2002 after the 2000 census, a federal court described the boundaries of the 16th and the interlocking 23rd district as an example of gerrymandering and a "raw exercise of majority legislative power." ["Martinez v. Bush,234 F.Supp.2d 1275, S.D.Fla., December 32002 [http://www.senate.mn/departments/scr/redist/redsum2000/redsum2000.htm#FL senate.mn] ]

Demographics and political leanings

The district has historically leaned Republican, [ [http://www.cookpolitical.com/races/report_pdfs/2006_house_comp_sept20.pdf#search=%22fl-16%22 2006 Competitive House Race Chart] , The Cook Political Report] with 55% of the district's vote going to George W. Bush in 2004. The district has a Cook Partisan Voting Index score of R +2.

2006 election

The parties' nominees were Tim Mahoney (Democratic) and Mark Foley (Republican); an independent candidate, Emmie Ross, also qualified. Foley resigned and dropped out of the race on September 292006, which was too late under Florida law to take his name off the ballot. Therefore, Foley's name remained on the ballot, but votes cast for him went to his replacement, state representative Joe Negron, who would have been elected if Foley won the November 72006 election. [ [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/02/politics/main2056956.shtml GOP Regroups After Foley's Departure] , CBS News] Since Mahoney won the election, the question did not arise. [ [http://www.palmbeachpost.com/politics/content/local_news/epaper/2006/11/08/a19a_dist16_1108.html U.S. House District 16: Mahoney fends off Negron] ]

Representatives

The district was created in 1983, after the 1980 Census increased Florida's apportionment from 15 to 19 seats.

1982 election

Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Lawrence J. Smith
votes = 91,888
percentage = 67.89
change = Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Maurice Berkowitz
votes = 43,458
percentage = 32.1
change = Election box total
votes = 135,346
percentage = 100.0
change = Election box majority
votes = 43,458
percentage = 35.79
change = Election box turnout
votes =
percentage =
change = Election box gain with party link
winner = Democratic Party (United States)
loser =
swing =

References

External links

* [http://projects.washingtonpost.com/elections/keyraces/census/fl/district-16/ 2000 Census Data]
* [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.asp?ID=FL16&Cycle=2006 OpenSecrets.org's summary of spending for the 2006 race]