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Texas's 4th congressional district

Coordinates: 33°18′19″N 95°25′17″W / 33.30528°N 95.42139°W / 33.30528; -95.42139
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Texas's 4th congressional district
District map
Representative
Distribution
  • 51.15% rural[1]
  • 48.85% urban
Population (2023)845,835[2]
Median household
income
$93,729[2]
Ethnicity
Cook PVIR+16[3]

Texas's 4th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives is in an area of Northeast Texas, that includes some counties along the Red River northeast of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, as well as some outer eastern suburbs of the Metroplex. Austin College in Sherman, Texas is located within the district. As of 2017, the 4th district represents 747,188 people who are predominantly white (80.8%) and middle-class (median family income is US$56,062, compared to $50,046 nationwide).[2] It is currently represented by Pat Fallon.

District

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All or portions of the following counties are in the 4th congressional district since 2023:[4]

History

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Texas has had at least four congressional districts since the State's senators and representatives were re-seated in Congress after the Civil War.[5] The district's current configuration is dated from 1903. It has traditionally given its congressmen very long tenures in Washington; only six men have represented it since then.

Once a reliably Democratic district, the district swung rapidly into the Republican column at the federal level as Dallas' suburbs spilled into the western portion of the district. In fact, it has not supported a Democrat for president since 1964. However, as late as 1996, Bill Clinton carried ten of the sixteen counties that are currently in this district; many of those counties were in the 1st district at the time. Additionally, conservative Democrats continued to hold most of the district's local offices well into the 2000s.

For many years, it was based in Tyler, but a controversial 2003 redistricting orchestrated by then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay drew it and neighboring Longview out of the 4th district and into neighboring 1st, which made it significantly more Republican. In the process, the 4th district was pushed slightly to the north, picking up Texarkana from the 1st district.

Ralph Hall, the one-time dean of the Texas congressional delegation, represented the district from 1981 to 2015. Originally a Democrat, he became a Republican in 2004. Hall's voting record had been very conservative—even by Texas Democratic standards—which served him well as the district abandoned its Democratic roots. By the turn of the century, he was the only elected Democrat above the county level in much of the district. He had been rumored as a party switcher for some time, and many experts believed he would almost certainly be succeeded by a Republican once he retired. [citation needed]

In 2014, Hall was defeated in the Republican primary by John Ratcliffe, who had served as the former United States Attorney for much of the 4th's territory, and was additionally the former mayor of Heath—a city coincidentally located near Hall's hometown of Rockwall. No Democrat even filed, though by this time, the district had become so heavily Republican that any Democratic candidate would have faced nearly impossible odds in any event. Underlining just how Republican this district was, the Democrats have only managed as much as 30% of the vote once since Hall's party switch.

In January 2015, Ratcliffe took office, and became only the fifth person to hold the seat. [citation needed] He ran unopposed for reelection in 2016, and defeated a nominal Democratic challenger in 2018. [citation needed]

In May 2020, Ratcliffe resigned his seat ahead of his swearing-in to become the 6th Director of National Intelligence.[6]

The district's best-known congressman was Sam Rayburn, the longtime Speaker of the House. [citation needed]

President Dwight D. Eisenhower was born in the fourth district. [citation needed]

After the 2012 redistricting process, a large portion of Collin County had been removed, and replaced with the portion of Cass County that had been in Texas's 1st congressional district, all of Marion County, and a large portion of Upshur County.[7]

Election results from recent presidential races

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Year Result
2000 Bush 66 - 34%
2004 Bush 70 - 29%
2008 McCain 69 - 30%
2012[8] Romney 74 - 25%
2016[8] Trump 75 - 22%
2020 Trump 74 - 24%

List of members representing the district

[edit]
Name Party Years Cong–
ress
Electoral history
District established March 4, 1863
District inactive March 4, 1863 –
March 31, 1870
37th
38th
39th
40th
41st
Civil War and Reconstruction

Edward Degener
(San Antonio)
Republican March 31, 1870 –
March 3, 1871
41st Elected in 1870.
Lost renomination.

John Hancock
(Austin)
Democratic March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1875
42nd
43rd
Elected in 1870.
Re-elected in 1872.
Redistricted to the 5th district.

Roger Q. Mills
(Corsicana)
Democratic March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1883
44th
45th
46th
47th
Redistricted from the at-large seat and re-elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Redistricted to the 9th district.

David B. Culberson
(Jefferson)
Democratic March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1897
48th
49th
50th
51st
52nd
53rd
54th
Redistricted from the 2nd district and re-elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Re-elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Retired.

John W. Cranford
(Sulphur Springs)
Democratic March 4, 1897 –
March 3, 1899
55th Elected in 1896.
Retired, then died on the last day of the term.

John Levi Sheppard
(Texarkana)
Democratic March 4, 1899 –
October 11, 1902
56th
57th
Elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Died.
Vacant October 11, 1902 –
November 15, 1902
57th

Morris Sheppard
(Texarkana)
Democratic November 15, 1902 –
March 3, 1903
Elected to finish Sheppard's term.
Redistricted to the 1st district.

Choice B. Randell
(Sherman)
Democratic March 4, 1903 –
March 3, 1913
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd
Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.

Sam Rayburn
(Bonham)
Democratic March 4, 1913 –
November 16, 1961
63rd
64th
65th
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
73rd
74th
75th
76th
77th
78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
Elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Re-elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Died.
Vacant November 16, 1961 –
January 30, 1962
87th

Ray Roberts
(McKinney)
Democratic January 30, 1962 –
January 3, 1981
87th
88th
89th
90th
91st
92nd
93rd
94th
95th
96th
Elected to finish Rayburn's term.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Re-elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Retired.

Ralph Hall
(Rockwall)
Democratic January 3, 1981 –
January 5, 2004
97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th
Elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Lost renomination.
Republican January 5, 2004 –
January 3, 2015

John Ratcliffe
(Heath)
Republican January 3, 2015 –
May 22, 2020
114th
115th
116th
Elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Resigned to become Director of National Intelligence.[6]
Vacant May 22, 2020 –
January 3, 2021
116th

Pat Fallon
(Frisco)
Republican January 3, 2021 –
present
117th
118th
Elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.

Recent elections

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2004

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US House election, 2004: Texas District 4[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Hall (incumbent) 182,866 68.2
Democratic Jim Nickerson 81,585 30.4
Libertarian Kevin D. Anderson 3,491 1.3
Total votes 267,942
Republican hold

2006

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US House election, 2006: Texas District 4[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Hall (incumbent) 106,495 64.43
Democratic Glenn Melancon 55,278 33.34
Libertarian Kurt G. Helm 3,496 2.11
Total votes 165,269
Republican hold

2008

[edit]
US House election, 2008: Texas District 4[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Hall (incumbent) 206,906 68.79
Democratic Glenn Melancon 88,067 29.28
Libertarian Fred Annett 5,771 1.91
Total votes 300,744
Republican hold

2010

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US House election, 2010: Texas District 4[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Hall (incumbent) 136,338 73.18
Democratic VaLinda Hathcox 40,975 21.99
Libertarian Jim D. Prindle 4,729 2.53
Independent Shane Shepard 4,224 2.27
Total votes 186,286
Republican hold

2012

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US House election, 2012: Texas District 4[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Hall (incumbent) 182,679 72.97
Democratic VaLinda Hathcox 60,214 24.05
Libertarian Thomas Griffing 7,262 2.90
Write-In Fred Rostek 188 0.08
Total votes 250,343
Republican hold

2014

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US House election, 2014: Texas District 4[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Ratcliffe 115,085 100.00
Total votes 115,085
Republican hold

2016

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US House election, 2016: Texas District 4[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Ratcliffe (incumbent) 216,643 87.99
Libertarian Cody Wommack 29,577 12.01
Total votes 246,220
Republican hold

2018

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US House election, 2018: Texas District 4[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Ratcliffe (incumbent) 188,667 75.7
Democratic Catherine Krantz 57,400 23.0
Libertarian Ken Ashby 3,178 1.3
Total votes 249,245 100.0
Republican hold

2020

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US House election, 2020: Texas District 4
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Pat Fallon 253,837 75.1
Democratic Russell Foster 76,326 22.6
Libertarian Lou Antonelli 6,334 1.9
Independent Tracy Jones (write-in) 1,306 0.4
Total votes 337,803 100.0
Republican hold

2022

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US House election, 2022: Texas District 4
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Pat Fallon (incumbent) 170,781 66.7
Democratic Iro Omere 79,179 30.9
Libertarian John Simmons 6,049 2.4
Total votes 255,368 100.0
Republican hold

Historical district boundaries

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2007–2013
2013–2023

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "TEXAS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS BY URBAN AND RURAL POPULATION AND LAND AREA". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP). "My Congressional District". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  3. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "Texas v, White Et. Al. 74 U.S. 700, 19 L.Ed. 227, 7 Wall. 700". December 1868.
  6. ^ a b "Divided Senate confirms Texas Rep. John Ratcliffe as director of national intelligence". May 22, 2020.
  7. ^ "2020 Election Districts". Texas Legislature Online. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  9. ^ Office of the Secretary of State (November 2, 2004). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  10. ^ Office of the Secretary of State (November 7, 2006). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  11. ^ Office of the Secretary of State (November 4, 2008). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  12. ^ Office of the Secretary of State (November 2, 2010). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  13. ^ Office of the Secretary of State (November 6, 2012). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  14. ^ Office of the Secretary of State (November 4, 2014). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  15. ^ Office of the Secretary of State (November 8, 2016). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  16. ^ Office of the Secretary of State (November 6, 2018). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Home district of the speaker of the House
September 16, 1940 – January 3, 1947
Succeeded by
Preceded by Home district of the speaker of the House
January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1953
Succeeded by
Preceded by Home district of the speaker of the House
January 3, 1955 – November 16, 1961
Succeeded by

33°18′19″N 95°25′17″W / 33.30528°N 95.42139°W / 33.30528; -95.42139