Texas's 1st congressional district
Texas' 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives serves the northeastern portion of the state of Texas. As of the 2000 Census, the 1st district contained 651,619 people. It consists largely of three small East Texas metropolitan areas—Texarkana, Texas, Longview–Marshall, and Tyler. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+26, it is one of the most Republican districts in Texas.[3]
Texas's 1st congressional district | |||
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Representative |
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Distribution |
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Population (2022) | 775,992[2] | ||
Median household income | $60,999[2] | ||
Ethnicity |
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Cook PVI | R+26[3] |
The 1st district once encompassed large parts of North Texas and Central Texas, but as the population of Texas grew, the district got smaller until it only encompassed about half of Northeast Texas.
For most of its history, the district was based in Texarkana, but in a controversial 2003 redistricting orchestrated by then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Texarkana was drawn out of the district and moved to the neighboring 4th district. Lufkin, Tyler and Longview were added in its place. In the 2021 redistricting, Lufkin was dropped from the district and Texarkana was added back into it.
The district was predominantly rural for much of its history, and thus was far friendlier to electing Democrats to Congress even as most of Texas swung toward the Republicans. The district's four-term Democratic incumbent, Max Sandlin, was a particularly severe critic of the DeLay-led redistricting effort, claiming that lumping rural areas with urban ones stifled the voice of rural voters. The 2003 redistricting made the district more urban and Republican, especially with the addition of the Republican strongholds of Tyler and Longview. Sandlin was heavily defeated in November 2004 by Republican Louie Gohmert, a longtime judge in the Tyler area. Gohmert is the first Republican to represent the district since Reconstruction. Proving just how Republican the reconfigured district is, Gohmert has been reelected seven times with no less than 68 percent of the vote. The Democrats chose to not put up a candidate in 2008 and 2012.
The district's best-known congressman, Wright Patman, represented the district for 47 years—the second-longest tenure of any Texan in Congress. He was an early supporter of the New Deal, and later chaired the House Banking Committee for 12 years.
2012 redistricting
The 2012 redistricting process changed the district's northern section. All of Marion County, Cass County, and most of Upshur County were removed from the district. To compensate, the eastern half of Wood County was added.[4] Prior to this, the district included a population of 651,619 in the 2000 Census. Additionally, the population broke down accordingly:
- Under 18: 26.2%
- Over 65: 14.1%
- Married 58.7%
- Non-Hispanic White: 71%
- Black: 18%
- Hispanic: 9%
- Asian: 1%
- Foreign born: 5.3%
- Language other than English: 9.8%
- Median household income: $33,461
- Owner-occupied housing: 71.9%
- Income above $200K: 1.4%
Recent election results from statewide races
Year | Race | Winner |
---|---|---|
2000 | President | Bush 68–26% |
2004 | President | Bush 69–31% |
2008 | President | McCain 69–30% |
2012 | President | Romney 72–28% |
2016 | President | Trump 72–25% |
2018 | Senate | Cruz 72–28% |
2018 | Governor | Abbott 74–25% |
2020 | President | Trump 72–27% |
Recent election results
Election results from recent races:
U.S. Representative
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Louie Gohmert | 157,068 | 61.5 | 17.9 | |
Democratic | Max Sandlin (incumbent) | 96,281 | 37.7 | 18.7 | |
Libertarian | Dean Tucker | 2,158 | 0.8 | ||
Majority | 60,787 | 23.8 | |||
Turnout | 255,507 | ||||
Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Louie Gohmert (incumbent) | 104,099 | 68 | 6.5 | |
Democratic | Roger L. Owen | 46,303 | 30.2 | 7.5 | |
Libertarian | Donald Perkison | 2,668 | 1.7 | 0.9 | |
Majority | 57,796 | 37.8 | |||
Turnout | 153,070 | 40.1 | |||
Republican hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Louie Gohmert (incumbent) | 189,012 | 87.6 | 19.6 | |
Independent | Roger L. Owen | 26,814 | 12.4 | ||
Majority | 162,198 | 75.2 | |||
Turnout | 215,826 | 41.0 | |||
Republican hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Louie Gohmert (incumbent) | 129,398 | 89.7 | 2.1 | |
Libertarian | Charles F. Parkes, III | 14,811 | 10.3 | ||
Majority | 114,587 | 79.6 | |||
Turnout | 144,209 | 33.2 | |||
Republican hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Louie Gohmert (incumbent) | 178,322 | 71.4 | 18.3 | |
Democratic | Shirley J. McKellar | 67,222 | 26.9 | ||
Libertarian | Clark Patterson | 4,114 | 1.6 | 8.7 | |
Majority | 111,100 | 44.5 | |||
Turnout | 249,658 | 73.1 | |||
Republican hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Louie Gohmert (incumbent) | 115,084 | 77.5 | 6.1 | |
Democratic | Shirley J. McKellar | 33,476 | 22.5 | 4.4 | |
Majority | 81,608 | 55 | |||
Turnout | 148,560 | 40.5 | |||
Republican hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Louie Gohmert (incumbent) | 192,434 | 73.9 | 3.6 | |
Democratic | Shirley J. McKellar | 62,847 | 24.1 | 1.6 | |
Libertarian | Phil Gray | 5,062 | 1.9 | ||
Majority | 129,587 | 49,8 | |||
Turnout | 260,343 | 75.2 | |||
Republican hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Louie Gohmert (incumbent) | 168,165 | 72.26 | 1.6 | |
Democratic | Shirley J. McKellar | 61,263 | 26.32 | 2.2 | |
Libertarian | Jeff Callaway | 3,292 | 0.5 | ||
Republican hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Louie Gohmert (incumbent) | 218,385 | 72.61 | 0.4 | |
Democratic | Hank Gilbert | 82,359 | 27.39 | 1.1 | |
Republican hold | Swing | ||||
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Nathaniel Moran | 183,224 | 78.08 | 5.4 | |
Democratic | Jrmar Jefferson | 51,438 | 21.92 | 5.4 | |
Republican hold | Swing | ||||
List of members representing the district
References
- "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (State-based)". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
- "My Congressional District".
- "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- "Home". gis1.tlc.state.tx.us.
- Until 1872, Texas (like some other states) held its congressional elections after the March 4 beginning of the term but before the December date on which Congress began its formal business. Such elections are denoted here as "late".
- "Historical Maps (1846–2012)". Texas Redistricting. Texas Legislative Council.
- Acts 1846, 1st Leg., R.S., eff. Feb. 28, 1846.
- Acts 1850, 3rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 134, app. Feb. 11, 1850.
- Constitution of the State of Texas (1869)
- Acts 1874, 14th Leg., R.S., Ch. 161, eff. May 2, 1874.
- Acts 1879, 16th Leg., R.S., Ch. 102, eff. Apr. 18, 1879.
- Acts 1882, 17th Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 30, eff. Aug. 3, 1882.
- Acts 1892, 22nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 19, eff. Jul. 11, 1892.
- United States v. Texas, 162 U.S. 1 (1896)
- Acts 1901, 27th Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 5, eff. Dec. 3, 1901
- Acts 1909, 31st Leg., R.S., Ch. 86, eff. Jun. 11, 1909.
- Acts 1917, 35th Leg., R.S., Ch. 119, eff. Jun. 19, 1917.
- Acts 1933, 43rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 135, eff. Aug. 30, 1933.
- Acts 1957, 55th Leg., R.S., Ch. 286, eff. Aug. 21, 1957;
Bush v. Martin, 224 F. Supp. 499 (S.D. Tex. 1963);
aff'd per curiam, Martin v. Bush, 376 U.S. 222 (1964);
Acts 1965, 59th Leg., R.S., Ch. 349, eff. Aug. 30, 1965. - Acts 1967, 60th Leg., R.S., Ch. 342, eff. Aug. 28, 1967;
Bush v. Martin, 251 F. Supp. 484 (S.D. Tex. 1966). - Acts 1971, 62nd Leg. 1st C.S., Ch. 12, eff. Sep. 3, 1971.
- White v. Weiser, --- F. Supp. --- (N.D. Tex. 1973) PLAN B
- Acts 1975, 64th Leg., R.S., Ch. 538, eff. Sep. 1, 1975.
- Acts 1981, 67th Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 2, eff. Nov. 10, 1981;
Seamon v. Upham, 536 F. Supp. 931, 958 (E.D. Tex. 1982);
Acts 1983, 68th Leg., R.S., Ch. 531, eff. Jun. 19, 1983. - Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 7, eff. Nov. 24, 1991;
Vera v. Richards, 861 F. Supp. 1304 (S.D. Tex. 1994);
Bush v. Vera, 517 U.S. 952 (1996);
Vera v. Bush, 933 F. Supp. 1341 (S.D. Tex. 1996) PLANC657 - Vera v. Bush, 933 F. Supp. 1341 (S.D. Tex. 1996);
Vera v. Bush, 980 F. Supp. 254 (S.D. Tex. 1997) PLANC746 - Balderas v. State of Texas, --- F. Supp. --- (E.D. Tex. 2001) PLAN01151C
- Acts 2003, 78th Leg., 3rd C.S., Ch. 2, eff. Jan. 11, 2004 PLAN01374C;
Lulac v. Perry, 457 F. Supp. 2d 716 (E.D. Tex. 2006) PLAN01440C. - "District Population Analysis with County Subtotals | CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS - PLANC2100" (PDF). Capitol Data Portal. Texas Legislative Council. August 26, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
- "District Population Analysis with County Subtotals | CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS - PLANC2193" (PDF). Capitol Data Portal. Texas Legislative Council. October 17, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
- Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present