Texas's 8th congressional district

Infobox U.S. congressional district
state = Texas
district number = 8

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image width = 350
image caption =
representative = Kevin Brady
party = Republican
english area =
metric area =
percent urban =
percent rural =
population = 651,619
population year = 2000
median income = 40,459
percent white = 85.0
percent black = 8.8
percent asian = 0.8
percent native american = 0.5
percent hispanic = 9.0
percent other race = 0.3
percent blue collar =
percent white collar =
percent gray collar =
cpvi = R+20

Texas District 8 of the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that stretches from the northern part of Harris County and much of Montgomery County to the Louisiana border. It includes much of the outlying areas of metro Houston and Beaumont. As of the 2000 census, District 8 represents 651,619 people. The current Representative from District 8 is Kevin Brady and has been since 1997.

History of Texas' 8th District

Texas received an eighth congressional district through reapportionment in 1881 as a result of population growth reflected in the 1880 Census and in 1883, James Francis Miller, a Democrat, was elected its first representative. From 1882-1892 the district was located in South Central Texas between Houston and San Antonio and was represented by Democrats. After 1893, the district was located in North Texas and was represented by a Republican representative from Fort Worth and then a Democrat from Weatherford. After the redistricting of 1902, the district shifted to Southeast Texas and the area outside of Houston and was represented by Congressmen from Huntsville, Hempstead and Richmond. From 1910-1966, the 8th district comprised all of Harris County, Texas and the city of Houston.

The district was redrawn mid-decade in 1966 after the Supreme Court ruled in "Wesberry v. Sanders" two years earlier that congressional district populations had to be equal or close to equal in population. As a result, Houston, which had been located entirely in District 8, was divided into three districts, the 7th, 8th and 9th.

Representatives

District borders are periodically redrawn and some District residences may no longer be in the 8th District.

Election results

Election box candidate with party link
party = Republican Party (US)
candidate = Kevin Brady
votes = 179,599
percentage = 68.9
change = -24.2Election box candidate with party link
party = Democratic Party (US)
candidate = James Wright
votes = 77,324
percentage = 29.7
change = +29.7Election box candidate with party link
party = Libertarian Party (US)
candidate = Paul Hansen
votes = 3,705
percentage = 1.4
change = -5.4

Election box majority
votes = 102,275
percentage = 39.2
change =Election box turnout
votes = 260,628
percentage =
change =Election box hold with party link
winner = Republican Party (US)
swing = -26.9