Massachusetts's 5th congressional district

Massachusetts's 5th congressional district
Massachusetts's 5th congressional district - since January 3, 2013. Massachusetts's 5th congressional district - since January 3, 2013.
Current Representative		Katherine Clark (D–Melrose)
Cook PVI	D+16

Massachusetts' 5th congressional district is a congressional district in eastern Massachusetts. The district is represented by Katherine Clark. Massachusetts congressional redistricting after the 2010 census has changed the borders of the district starting with the elections of 2012, with the new 3rd district largely taking the place of the old 5th. The 5th district had covered many of the communities represented in the old 7th district. As of 2010, the population of the 5th congressional district was 727,515. On July 15, 2013, Ed Markey resigned from the seat to become the junior Senator from Massachusetts. On December 10, 2013, Democrat Katherine Clark won a special election to fill the seat for the remainder of the 113th Congress. She was sworn in to office on December 12, 2013.

Demographics

The district has been in Democratic hands without interruption since 1975. Before Paul Tsongas' victory that year, it had only elected three Democrats in its entire existence and had been in Republican hands since 1895.

It was one of the more moderate districts in heavily Democratic Massachusetts before redistricting in 2013. In state races, it supported Republican candidates for Governor William Weld, Paul Celluci, and Mitt Romney. In the 2007 special election to replace Marty Meehan, Republican candidate Jim Ogonowski ran an unexpectedly strong race, ultimately losing 51-45%.

Cities and towns in the district

Cities and towns in the district since 2013

File:2013 MA congress districts 5, 7, 8.png

Map of the 5th congressional district (in purple), from 2013 to 2023

File:2013 Cambridge congress districts.png

Map of Cambridge, noting Wards, Precincts and congressional districts, including the 5th district (in green) and the 7th district (in orange), starting in 2013.

In Middlesex County:

Arlington, Ashland, Belmont, Cambridge: Ward 3 Precinct 2A, Ward 4 Precincts 2 and 3, Wards 6, 7, 8, and 9, Ward 10 Precincts 1 and 2, Framingham, Holliston, Lexington, Lincoln, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Natick, Sherborn, Stoneham, Sudbury: Precincts 1A, 2, 3, 4, and 5, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Weston, Winchester and Woburn.

In Suffolk County:

Revere, and Winthrop.

In Worcester County:

Southborough.

Cities and towns in the district prior to 2013

1840s

"The towns of Ashburnham, Auburn, Barre, Brookfield, Charlton, Dana, Douglas, Dudley, Gardner, Grafton, Hardwick, Holden, Hubbardston, Leicester, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Northbridge, Oakham, Oxford, Paxton, Petersham, Phillipston, Princeton, Rutland, Southbridge, Spencer, Sturbridge, Sutton, Templeton, Upton, Uxbridge, Warren, Webster, West Boylston, Westminster, Winchendon, and Worcester, in the County of Worcester."

1850s

"The wards numbered one, two, three, four, five, and six, in the city of Boston, and the towns of Chelsea and North Chelsea, and Winthrop, in the county of Suffolk; and the city of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex."

1870s

"Arlington, Belmont, Wards, 3, 4, and 5, Boston, Burlington, Everett, Lexington, Lynn, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Nahant, Saugus, Somerville, Stoneham, Swampscott, Wakefield, Waltham, Winchester, and Woburn."

1910s

"Essex County: Towns of Andover and Methuen. Middlesex County: Cities of Lowell and Woburn; towns of Acton, Ayer, Bedford, Blllerica, Boxboro, Burlington, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Groton, Hudson, Lincoln, Littleton, Maynard, Pepperell, Reading, Shirley, Stow, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro, Westford, and Wilmington. Worcester County: Towns of Berlin, Bolton, Harvard, and Northboro."

1970s

"Essex County: City of Lawrence. Towns of Andover and Methuen. Middlesex County: City of Lowell. Towns of Acton, Ashby, Bedford, Billerica, Boxborough, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Groton, Lexington, Littleton, North Reading, Pepperell, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Westford, and Wilmington."

2003-2013

File:Ma05 109.gif

300px

In Essex County:

Andover, Haverhill, Lawrence, Methuen.

In Middlesex 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:

Berlin, Bolton, Harvard, Lancaster.

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	Electoral history
George Partridge	Pro- Administration	March 4, 1789 – August 14, 1790	Duxbury	Resigned
Vacant		August 15, 1790 – March 3, 1791
Shearjashub Bourne	Pro- Administration	March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793	Boston	Redistricted to the 3rd district
District eliminated		March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795
Nathaniel Freeman, Jr.	Democratic- Republican	March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1799	Sandwich	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Lemuel Williams	Federalist	March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1803	New Bedford	Redistricted to the 8th district
Thomas Dwight	Federalist	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805	Springfield	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
William Ely	Federalist	March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1815	Springfield	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
75px Elijah H. Mills	Federalist	March 4, 1815 – March 4, 1819	Northampton	Lost re-election
Samuel Lathrop	Federalist	March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1823	West Springfield	Redistricted to the 8th district
Jonas Sibley	Adams-Clay Republican	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825	Sutton	Lost re-election
75px John Davis	Adams	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1829	Worcester	Resigned to become Governor of Massachusetts
	National Republican	March 4, 1829 – January 14, 1834
Vacant		January 15, 1834 – February 16, 1834
Levi Lincoln, Jr.	National Republican	February 17, 1834 – March 3, 1837	Worcester	First elected to finish Davis's term Resigned to become Collector of the Port of Boston
	Whig	March 4, 1837 – March 16, 1841
Vacant		March 17, 1841 – May 2, 1841
Charles Hudson	Whig	May 3, 1841 – March 3, 1849	Westminster	Lost re-election
Charles Allen	Free Soil	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853	Worcester	Redistricted to the 9th district
75px William Appleton	Whig	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855	Boston	Redistricted from the 1st district and re-elected here in 1852 Lost re-election
Anson Burlingame	American	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857	Boston	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
	Republican	March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1861
75px William Appleton	Constitutional Unionist	March 4, 1861 – September 27, 1861	Boston	Resigned because of failing health
Vacant		September 28, 1861 – December 1, 1861
75px Samuel Hooper	Republican	December 2, 1861 – March 3, 1863	Boston	First elected to finish Davis's term Redistricted to the 4th district
John B. Alley	Republican	March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1867	Lynn	Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected here in 1862
Benjamin F. Butler	Republican	March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1873	Lowell	Redistricted to the 6th district
Daniel W. Gooch	Republican	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875	Melrose	Lost re-election
75px Nathaniel P. Banks	Independent	March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877	Waltham	First elected in 1874 Lost renomination
	Republican	March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879
75px Selwyn Z. Bowman	Republican	March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1883	Somerville	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Leopold Morse	Democratic	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885	Boston	Redistricted from the 4th district and re-elected here in 1882 Retired
Edward D. Hayden	Republican	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889	Woburn	Retired
75px Nathaniel P. Banks	Republican	March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891	Waltham	Elected again in 1888 Retired
Sherman Hoar	Democratic	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893	Concord	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
Moses T. Stevens	Democratic	March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895	North Andover	Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected here in 1892
75px William S. Knox	Republican	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1903	Lawrence	Retired
75px Butler Ames	Republican	March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1913	Lowell	Retired
John Jacob Rogers	Republican	March 4, 1913 – March 28, 1925	Lowell	Died
Vacant		March 28, 1925 – June 30, 1925
Edith Nourse Rogers	Republican	June 30, 1925 – September 10, 1960	Lowell	First elected to finish her husband's term Died
Vacant		September 10, 1960 – January 3, 1961
75px F. Bradford Morse	Republican	January 3, 1961 – May 1, 1972	Lowell	Resigned to become U.N. Under Secretary General for Political and General Assembly Affairs
Vacant		May 1, 1972 – January 3, 1973
75px Paul W. Cronin	Republican	January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1975	Andover	Lost re-election
75px Paul Tsongas	Democratic	January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1979	Lowell	Retired to run for U.S. Senate
75px James Shannon	Democratic	January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1985	Lawrence	Retired to run for U.S. Senate
Chester G. Atkins	Democratic	January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1993	Concord	Lost renomination
Marty Meehan	Democratic	January 3, 1993 – July 1, 2007	Lowell	Resigned to become Chancellor of University of Massachusetts Lowell
Vacant		July 1, 2007 – October 16, 2007
75px Niki Tsongas	Democratic	October 16, 2007 – January 3, 2013	Lowell	First elected to finish Meehan's term Re-elected in 2008 Re-elected in 2010 Redistricted to the 3rd district
Ed Markey	Democratic	January 3, 2013 – July 15, 2013	Malden	Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected here in 2012 Resigned after being elected to the U.S. Senate.
Vacant		July 15, 2013 – December 10, 2013
Katherine Clark	Democratic	December 10, 2013 – Present	Melrose	Elected to finish Markey's term Re-elected in 2014
Representative	Party	Years ↑	District home	Electoral history

References

• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present

External links

Maps

• Map of Massachusetts' 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