Texas's 7th congressional district

Texas's 7th congressional district
Texas's 7th congressional district
Representative
	John Culberson; R
Population (2000)	651,619
Median household; income	107,846
Ethnicity	77.7% White; 18.0% Hispanic; 6.9% Asian; 5.7% Black; 0.4% Native American; 0.4% other;
Cook PVI	R+16

Texas District 7 of the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that serves a small area of western Harris County. As of the 2000 census, District 7 comprises 651,620 people.

The district is one of the wealthiest in the state and in the country. It includes several upscale areas of western Houston, wealthy enclaves of Houston, one incorporated suburb, large areas of unincorporated suburbs, and the heavily democratic Montrose district.

The district was one of the state's first to elect a Republican to office and is now one of the most Republican districts in Texas. It has not elected a Democrat to office since 1967, before districts of equal population were required. Republican John Culberson has represented the district since 2001.

Cities within in the district

Cities wholly in the district

Cities partially in the district

Houston

History of Texas' seventh district

Texas received a seventh congressional district through reapportionment in 1881 as a result of population growth reflected in the 1880 Census and in 1883, Thomas P. Ochiltree, an Independent, was elected its first representative. From 1882-1902 the district was located in North Central Texas and was represented by Wacoan Robert L. Henry. After the redistricting of 1902, the district shifted eastward and was represented Congressmen from Palestine and Galveston. After 1952, the district again shifted to Waco.

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, one of which was District 7. Prior to 1966, the district was represented by a Wacoan, John Dowdy. From 1885-1966, the seventh congressional district elected only Democratic representatives to Congress.

Since the district has been located in Houston, it has only elected Republican representatives, including former President George H.W. Bush.

Famous residents include Dr. Joseph Clifton Ph.D. and former President George H. W. Bush.

List of Representatives from the Seventh Congressional District

Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party	District Residence
Thomas P. Ochiltree	1883	1885	Independent	Galveston
William H. Crain	1885	1893	Democrat	Indianola
George C. Pendleton	1893	1897	Democrat	Temple
Robert L. Henry	1897	1903	Democrat	Waco
Alexander W. Gregg	1903	1919	Democrat	Palestine
Clay Stone Briggs*	1919	1933	Democrat	Galveston
Clark W. Thompson	1933	1935	Democrat	Galveston
Nat Patton	1935	1945	Democrat	Crockett
Tom Pickett	1945	1952	Democrat	Palestine
John Dowdy	1953	1967	Democrat	Waco
George H. W. Bush	1967	1971	Republican	Houston
Bill Archer	1971	2001	Republican	Houston
John Culberson	2001	currently serving	Republican	Houston

* Died in office.

Election results

US House election, 2006: Texas District 7
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	John Culberson	99,318	59.2	-4.9
	Democratic	Jim Henley	64,514	38.5	+5.2
	Libertarian	Drew Parks	3,953	2.4	+1.2
Majority
Turnout			167,785
	Republican hold		Swing

US House election, 2004: Texas District 7
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	John Culberson	175,440	64.1	-25.1
	Democratic	John Martinez	91,126	33.3
	Independent	Paul Staton	3,713	1.4
	Libertarian	Drew Parks	3,372	1.2	-9.5
Majority			84,314	30.8
Turnout			273,651
	Republican hold		Swing	-29.2

References

http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe