Connecticut's 5th congressional district

Connecticut's 5th congressional district
Connecticut's 5th congressional district - since January 3, 2013.
Current Representative		Elizabeth Esty (D–Cheshire)
Area	1,282 mi2
Distribution	85.9% urban, 14.1% rural
Population (2010)	714,820
Median income	$53,118
Ethnicity	73.2% White, 5.9% Black, 3.1% Asian, 15.6% Hispanic, 0.1% Native American, 2.1% other
Cook PVI	D+3

Connecticut's 5th Congressional District is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in the northwestern part of the state, the district runs from Meriden and New Britain in central Connecticut, westward to Danbury and the surrounding Housatonic Valley. Encompased in between are the Farmington Valley, Naugatuck River Valley, and the Litchfield Hills.

The district is currently represented by Democrat Elizabeth Esty.

History

Historically Republican, the Fifth Congressional District has been treading Democratic since 2004. John Kerry carried the district with 49.3% of the vote, a margin of 1,112 votes in the 2004 presidential election. Obama carried the district in 2008 with 56.3% of the vote and in 2012 with 53.5% of the vote.

The current 5th Congressional District was created in 2002 due to reapportionment following the 2000 U.S. Census. Due to slow population growth, Connecticut lost a seat and the district was merged with the previous Sixth Congressional District.

From 1964 to 1990 the 5th Congressional District included many towns in Fairfield County which are now located in the 4th Congressional District, such as Wilton, Monroe, Ridgefield, and Shelton. It also included the lower Naugatuck River Valley towns of Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, and Naugatuck which are now in the 3rd Congressional District.

In the early 20th century the 5th Congressional District included Waterbury, Litchfield County, and the Naugatuck Valley. It did not include any portion of Fairfield or Hartford counties and did not include the City of Meriden.

Towns in the district

The district includes the following towns:

Fairfield County - Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, Newtown, and Sherman.

Hartford County - Avon, Burlington, Canton, Farmington, New Britain, Plainville, and Simsbury.

Litchfield County - Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Harwinton, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Milford, Norfolk, North Canaan, Plymouth, Roxbury, Salisbury, Sharon, Thomaston, Torrington (part), Warren, Washington, Watertown, and Woodbury.

New Haven County - Cheshire, Meriden, Middlebury, Southbury, Waterbury (part), and Wolcott.

Voter registration

Presidential performance

• 2012 - Obama - 53.53%, Romney - 45.30%, Third party - 1.17%
• 2008 - Obama - 56.34%, McCain - 42.40%, Third party - 1.26%
• 2004 - Kerry - 49.32%, Bush - 48.97%, Third party - 1.71%
• 2000 - Gore - 51.55%, Bush - 42.90%, Third party - 5.55%
• Performance Average - Democrat (52.69%), Republican (44.89%), Third party (2.42%)

The 2000 Election is based on the performance of the Fifth and former Sixth Congressional District. Following the 2000 Census, the Sixth Congressional District was eliminated and largely merged with the Fifth.

Recent elections

List of representatives

Representative	Party	Years of service	Hometown	Note
District organized from Connecticut's at-large congressional district in 1837
Lancelot Phelps	Democratic	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839	Colebrook	Retired
Truman Smith	Whig	March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1843	Litchfield	Retired
District eliminated after the 1840 Census
District organized from Connecticut's at-large congressional district in 1913
William Kennedy	Democratic	March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915	Naugatuck	Lost re-election
James P. Glynn	Republican	March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1923	Winsted	Lost re-election
Patrick B. O'Sullivan	Democratic	March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1925	Derby	Lost re-election
James P. Glynn	Republican	March 4, 1925 – March 6, 1930	Winsted	Died
Vacant		March 6, 1930 – November 4, 1930
Edward W. Goss	Republican	November 4, 1930 – January 3, 1935	Waterbury	Lost re-election
J. Joseph Smith	Democratic	January 3, 1935 – November 4, 1941	Waterbury	Appointed US circuit judge
Vacant		November 4, 1941 – January 20, 1942
Joseph E. Talbot	Republican	January 20, 1942 – January 3, 1947	Naugatuck	Unsuccessful candidate for governor
James T. Patterson	Republican	January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1959	Naugatuck	Lost re-election
John S. Monagan	Democratic	January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1973	Waterbury	Lost re-election
Ronald A. Sarasin	Republican	January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1979	Beacon Falls	Unsuccessful candidate for governor
William R. Ratchford	Democratic	January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1985	Danbury	Lost re-election
John G. Rowland	Republican	January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1991	Waterbury	Unsuccessful candidate for governor
Gary Franks	Republican	January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1997	Waterbury	Lost re-election
James H. Maloney	Democratic	January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2003	Danbury	Lost re-election/District merged with 6th District
Nancy Johnson	Republican	January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007	New Britain	Lost re-election
Chris Murphy	Democratic	January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2013	Cheshire	Elected to US Senate
Elizabeth Esty	Democratic	January 3, 2013 -	Cheshire	Incumbent

Living former Members

As of May 2015, five former members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 5th congressional district are alive.

Historical district boundaries

2003 - 2013

See also

• Connecticut's congressional districts
• List of United States congressional districts

References

• 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

Coordinates: 41°41′40″N 73°12′36″W / 41.69444°N 73.21000°W / 41.69444; -73.21000