Mississippi's 4th congressional district

Mississippi's 4th congressional district covers the southeastern region of the state. It includes all of Mississippi's Gulf Coast, stretching ninety miles between the Alabama border to the east and the Louisiana border to the west, and extends north into the Pine Belt region. It includes three of Mississippi's four most heavily populated cities: Gulfport, Biloxi, and Hattiesburg. Other major cities within the district include Bay St. Louis, Laurel, and Pascagoula.[4] The district is currently represented by Republican Mike Ezell. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+22, it is the most Republican district in Mississippi.[3]

Mississippi's 4th congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative
  Mike Ezell
RPascagoula
Area9,536 sq mi (24,700 km2)
Distribution
  • 53.72% urban
  • 46.28% rural
Population (2022)750,414[1]
Median household
income
$57,460[2]
Ethnicity
Occupation
Cook PVIR+22[3]

From statehood to the election of 1846, Mississippi elected representatives at-large statewide on a general ticket. From 1973 to 2003, the district included most of Jackson, all of Natchez and the southwestern part of the state. In 2003, after Mississippi lost a seat in redistricting, the old 4th District was eliminated. Most of Jackson, as well as the bulk of the district's black constituents, were drawn into the 2nd District, while eastern Jackson and most of Jackson's suburbs were drawn into the 3rd District. As a result, most of the old 5th District was redefined as the new 4th District.[5]

The perimeter of the current Fourth District extends across the ninety-mile coastal southern edge of Mississippi from the Louisiana border to the Alabama border, following the Alabama state line north along the eastern border of the state to a point due east of Quitman in Clarke County where it is bounded by the 3rd District and then moves in an irregular fashion south of Quitman until it reaches the county line with Wayne County, and then follows the northern and western borders to wholly contain Jones, Forrest, Lamar, and Marion counties until it reaches the Louisiana state line, ultimately bounded by the Pearl River winding to its outlet in Lake Borgne.

Interstate 59 is an important north–south route that traverses the district, while coastal Interstate 10 serves as the major east–west route from New Orleans to Mobile. US Highway 49 is a vital hurricane evacuation route and is four-laned from Gulfport to Jackson. US Highway 84 enters the state near Waynesboro and is four-laned statewide, passing through Laurel, Brookhaven and Natchez.

History

The district, like most of Mississippi, is built on a strong history of agriculture. Politically, the district has been conservative even by Mississippi standards. What is now the 4th has not supported the official Democratic candidate for president since 1956. Since the turn of the millennium, it has given the Republican presidential candidate his highest margin in the state.

Long after this area turned solidly Republican at the federal level, conservative Democrats like longtime congressman Gene Taylor still held a number of local offices. Nevertheless, it was a foregone conclusion that Taylor would be succeeded by a Republican. This came to pass in 2010, when then-state representative Palazzo narrowly defeated Taylor in that year's massive Republican wave. The Democrats have only put up nominal challengers in the district since then; only one Democrat has managed even 30 percent of the vote. Indeed, the Democrats did not even field a candidate in 2020. Palazzo's win touched off a wave of Republican victories down ballot, and today there are almost no elected Democrats left above the county level. Underscoring this, Taylor sought to take back his old seat in 2014 as a Republican.

Three of Mississippi's four most heavily populated cities, Gulfport, Biloxi, Hattiesburg are in the Fourth District. Other major cities within the district include Bay St. Louis, Laurel, and Pascagoula.

Counties

Since 2013 the entire counties of Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River, Stone, George, Marion, Lamar, Forrest, Perry, Greene, Jones, and Wayne, along with the southeastern part of Clarke are counted in this district.

Election results from statewide races

Year Office Result
2000 President Bush 54 – 44%
2004 President Bush 68 – 31%
2008 President McCain 67 – 32%
2012 President Romney 68 – 31%
2016 President Trump 69 – 28%
2018 Senate Wicker 68 - 30%
Senate (Spec.) Hyde-Smith 65 - 35%
2019 Governor Reeves 63 - 35%
2020 President Trump 68 – 30%
Senate Hyde-Smith 63 - 34%

List of members representing the district

Member Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history District location and map
District created March 4, 1847

Albert G. Brown
(Gallatin)
Democratic March 4, 1847 —
March 3, 1853
30th
31st
32nd
Elected in 1847.
Re-elected in 1849.
Re-elected in 1851.
Retired.
Wiley Pope Harris
(Monticello)
Democratic March 4, 1853 —
March 3, 1855
33rd Elected in 1853.
Retired.
William Augustus Lake
(Vicksburg)
Know Nothing March 4, 1855 —
March 3, 1857
34th Elected in 1855.
Lost re-election.

Otho Robards

Singleton
(Canton)

Democratic March 4, 1857 —
January 12, 1861
35th
36th
Elected in 1857.
Re-elected in 1859.
Withdrew due to Civil War.
Vacant January 12, 1861 —
February 23, 1870
36th
37th
38th
39th
40th
41st
Civil War and Reconstruction

George Colin McKee
(Vicksburg)
Republican February 23, 1870 —
March 3, 1873
41st
42nd
Elected in 1868 but that election was rejected by the House.
Elected again in 1869 to finish the term and to the next term.
Redistricted to the 5th district.

Jason Niles
(Kosciusko)
Republican March 4, 1873 —
March 3, 1875
43rd Elected in 1872.
Lost re-election.

Otho Robards Singleton
(Canton)
Democratic March 4, 1875 —
March 3, 1883
44th
45th
46th
47th
Elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Redistricted to the 5th district.

Hernando D. Money
(Winona)
Democratic March 4, 1883 —
March 3, 1885
48th Redistricted from the 3rd district and re-elected in 1882.
Retired.
Frederick G. Barry
(West Point)
Democratic March 4, 1885 —
March 3, 1889
49th
50th
Elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Retired.

Clarke Lewis
(Macon)
Democratic March 4, 1889 —
March 3, 1893
51st
52nd
Elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Retired.

Hernando D. Money
(Carrollton)
Democratic March 4, 1893 —
March 3, 1897
53rd
54th
Elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Retired.
Andrew F. Fox
(West Point)
Democratic March 4, 1897 —
March 3, 1903
55th
56th
57th
Elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Retired.

Wilson S. Hill
(Winona)
Democratic March 4, 1903 —
March 3, 1909
58th
59th
60th
Elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Lost renomination.

Thomas U. Sisson
(Winona)
Democratic March 4, 1909 —
March 3, 1923
61st
62nd
63rd
64th
65th
66th
67th
Elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Lost renomination.

T. Jeff Busby
(Houston)
Democratic March 4, 1923 —
January 3, 1935
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
73rd
Elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Re-elected in 1932.
Lost renomination.

Aaron L. Ford
(Ackerman)
Democratic January 3, 1935 —
January 3, 1943
74th
75th
76th
77th
Elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Lost renomination.

Thomas G. Abernethy
(Okolona)
Democratic January 3, 1943 —
January 3, 1953
78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd
Elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Redistricted to the 1st district.

John B. Williams
(Raymond)
Democratic January 3, 1953 —
January 3, 1963
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Redistricted to the 3rd district.

W. Arthur Winstead
(Philadelphia)
Democratic January 3, 1963 —
January 3, 1965
88th Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 1962.
Lost re-election.

Prentiss Walker
(Mize)
Republican January 3, 1965 —
January 3, 1967
89th Elected in 1964.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.

Sonny Montgomery
(Meridian)
Democratic January 3, 1967 —
January 3, 1973
90th
91st
92nd
Elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Redistricted to the 3rd district.

Thad Cochran
(Jackson)
Republican January 3, 1973 —
December 26, 1978
93rd
94th
95th
Elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Retired to run for U.S senator and resigned when appointed senator.
Vacant December 26, 1978 —
January 3, 1979
95th

Jon Hinson
(Tylertown)
Republican January 3, 1979 —
April 13, 1981
96th
97th
Elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Resigned due to arrest for attempted sodomy.
Vacant April 13, 1981 —
July 7, 1981
97th

Wayne Dowdy
(McComb)
Democratic July 7, 1981 —
January 3, 1989
97th
98th
99th
100th
Elected to finish Hinson's term.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Retired to run for U.S senator.

Mike Parker
(Brookhaven)
Democratic January 3, 1989 —
November 10, 1995
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th
Elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Retired to run for Governor of Mississippi.
Republican November 10, 1995 —
January 3, 1999

Ronnie Shows
(Bassfield)
Democratic January 3, 1999 —
January 3, 2003
106th
107th
Elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Redistricted to the 3rd district and lost re-election.

Gene Taylor
(Bay St. Louis)
Democratic January 3, 2003 —
January 3, 2011
108th
109th
110th
111th
Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Lost re-election.
2003–2013

Steven Palazzo
(Biloxi)
Republican January 3, 2011 –
January 3, 2023
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
117th
Elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Lost renomination.
2013–2023

Mike Ezell
(Pascagoula)
Republican January 3, 2023 –
present
118th Elected in 2022. 2023–present

Recent elections

2002

2002 Fourth Congressional District of Mississippi Elections
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Gene Taylor (incumbent) 121,742 75.21 -
Republican Dr. Karl Cleveland Mertz 34,373 21.24 -
Libertarian Wayne L. Parker 3,311 2.05 -
Reform Thomas R. Huffmaster 2,442 1.51 -
Turnout 161,868
Majority 87,369 53.98

2004

2004 Fourth Congressional District of Mississippi Elections
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Gene Taylor (incumbent) 181,614 64.77 -10.44
Republican Mike Lott 96,740 34.50 +13.26
Reform Tracella Hill 2,028 0.72 -0.79
Turnout 280,382
Majority 84,874 30.27

2006

Fourth District incumbent Gene Taylor (D) was re-elected, gathering 80% of the Fourth District's vote. He is considered one of the most conservative Democrats in the House . His district has a Cook Political Report rating of R+16.

Taylor faced challenger Randall "Randy" McDonnell, a former IRS agent. McDonnell, the Republican Party nominee, had also unsuccessfully challenged Taylor in both 1998 and 2000.

Taylor first was elected in 1989 to Mississippi's 5th congressional district, after having lost to Larkin I. Smith in the 1988 race for that open seat, which had been vacated by Trent Lott when Lott made a successful run for the Senate. Smith died eight months later in a plane crash. Taylor came in first in the special election primary to fill the seat, winning the runoff election two weeks later and taking office on October 18, 1989.

In 1990, Taylor won a full term in the 5th District with 81% of the vote, and has been reelected at each election since.

His district was renumbered the 4th after the redistricting of 2000, which cost Mississippi a Congressional seat. In 2004, Taylor was reelected to the House with 64% of their vote, choosing him over both Republican nominee Michael Lott and Reform nominee Tracella Hill.

2006 Fourth Congressional District of Mississippi Elections
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Gene Taylor (incumbent) 110,996 79.79 +15.02
Republican Randall "Randy" McDonnell 28,117 20.21 -14.29
Turnout 139,113
Majority 82,879 59.58

2008

2006 Fourth Congressional District of Mississippi Elections
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Gene Taylor (incumbent) 74.54 -5.25
Republican John McCay 25.46 +5.25
Turnout
Majority 49.08

2010

2010 Fourth Congressional District of Mississippi Elections
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Steven Palazzo 105,613 51.93 +26.47
Democratic Gene Taylor (incumbent) 95,243 46.83 -27.45
Libertarian Tim Hampton 1,741 0.86 +0.86
Reform Anna Revies 787 0.39 +0.39
Turnout 203,384
Majority 9,480 4.84

2012

Mississippi's 4th congressional district, 2012 [6]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steven Palazzo (incumbent) 182,998 64.1
Democratic Matt Moore 82,344 28.9
Libertarian Ron Williams 17,982 6.3
Reform Robert Claunch 2,108 0.7
Total votes 285,432 100.0
Republican hold

2014

Mississippi's 4th congressional district, 2014
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steven Palazzo (incumbent) 108,776 69.9
Democratic Matt Moore 37,869 24.3
Independent Cindy Burleson 3,684 2.4
Libertarian Joey Robinson 3,473 2.2
Reform Eli Jackson 917 0.6
Independent Ed Reich 857 0.6
Total votes 155,576 100.0
Republican hold

2016

Mississippi's 4th congressional district, 2016
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steven Palazzo (incumbent) 181,323 65.0
Democratic Mark Gladney 77,505 27.8
Libertarian Richard Blake McCluskey 14,687 5.3
Reform Shawn O'Hara 5,264 1.9
Total votes 278,779 100.0
Republican hold

2018

Mississippi's 4th congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steven Palazzo (incumbent) 152,633 68.2
Democratic Jeramey Anderson 68,787 30.8
Reform Lajena Sheets 2,312 1.0
Total votes 223,732 100.0
Republican hold

2020

Mississippi's 4th congressional district, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steven Palazzo (incumbent) 255,971 100.0
Total votes 255,971 100.0
Republican hold

2022

Mississippi's 4th congressional district, 2022[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Ezell 127,813 73.35
Democratic Johnny DuPree 42,876 24.60
Libertarian Alden Patrick Johnson 3,569 2.05
Total votes 174,258 100
Republican hold

See also

References

  1. "My Congressional District".
  2. "My Congressional District".
  3. "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  4. "About South Mississippi | U.S. House of Representatives". palazzo.house.gov. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  5. Almanac of American Politics, 2002, p. 872
  6. "Secretary of State :: Elections". State of Mississippi Secretary of State. Archived from the original on January 1, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
  7. "Certification of Votes For United States House of Representatives, District Four" (PDF). Secretary of State of Mississippi. Retrieved December 13, 2022.

30°59′37″N 89°05′02″W

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