Michigan's 5th congressional district

Michigan's 5th congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.

It is currently a mostly industrial area,^[1] with Arenac County, Iosco County, and Tuscola County being the main exceptions. From 2003 to 2013 it encompassed much of the area south of Saginaw Bay. It consisted of all of Tuscola and Genesee counties and the southeast portion of Bay and the eastern portion of Saginaw counties in the eastern-central portion of the state during that time. The district was extended into the upper mitt for the 2012 redistricting and most of Tuscola County was cut out.

The seat of the district is currently occupied by Democrat Dan Kildee. His uncle, Dale E. Kildee, represented the district from 2003 to 2013.^[2]

Recent election results from presidential races

Predecessors

From 1873 to 1993, the 5th was based in the Grand Rapids area of Western Michigan. Its most notable occupant was Gerald Ford, who in 1974 became the 38th President of the United States upon the resignation of Richard Nixon, at the height of the infamous Watergate Scandal. From 1993 to 2003, it was drawn as a district including Bay City, Saginaw and the Thumb.

Jurisdictions in the district

• Flint
• Saginaw
• Bay City
• Flint Township
• Burton
• Grand Blanc
• Grand Blanc Township
• Fenton
• Fenton Township
• Buena Vista Township
• Vassar
• Vienna Township
• Montrose Township
• Swartz Creek
• Gaines
• Clayton Township
• Davison
• Davison Township
• Flushing
• Flushing Township
• Mount Morris
• Mount Morris Township
• Essexville
• Hampton Township

List of representatives

The following is a list of all occupants of the congressional seat since the district was created at the start of the 38th Congress

Representative	Party	Years	Electoral history
District created		March 4, 1863
Augustus C. Baldwin	Democratic	March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1865
Rowland E. Trowbridge	Republican	March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1869
Omar D. Conger	Republican	March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1873	Redistricted to the 7th district
Wilder D. Foster	Republican	March 4, 1873 – September 20, 1873	Redistricted from the 4th district, Died
Vacant		September 20, 1873 – December 1, 1873
William B. Williams	Republican	December 1, 1873 – March 3, 1877
John W. Stone	Republican	March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1881
George W. Webber	Republican	March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883
Julius Houseman	Democratic	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885
Charles C. Comstock	Democratic	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887
Melbourne H. Ford	Democratic	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889
Charles E. Belknap	Republican	March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891
Melbourne H. Ford	Democratic	March 4, 1891 – April 20, 1891	Died
Vacant		April 20, 1891 – November 3, 1891
Charles E. Belknap	Republican	November 3, 1891 – March 3, 1893
George F. Richardson	Democratic	March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895	Elected by a plurality of 10 votes, receiving a certificate of election from the board of state canvassers. The defeated candidate, incumbent Charles E. Belknap, requested a recount in Ionia County, alleging irregularities. The Michigan Supreme Court ordered the recount on February 3, 1893, which subsequently resulted in a plurality of 19 votes for Belknap. The new board of state canvassers then issued a certificate of election to Belknap. The contest was brought to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on August 8, 1893. Following debate on the validity of the contestants’ credentials, the House voted to seat Richardson, referring the matter to the U.S. House Committee on Elections. Following further examination, the committee issued a report upholding Richardson’s claim to the seat.
William Alden Smith	Republican	March 4, 1895 – February 9, 1907	Resigned after being elected to the US Senate
Vacant		February 9, 1907 – March 17, 1908
Gerrit J. Diekema	Republican	March 17, 1908 – March 3, 1911
Edwin F. Sweet	Democratic	March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1913
Carl Mapes	Republican	March 4, 1913 – December 12, 1939	Died
Vacant		December 12, 1939 – February 19, 1940
Bartel J. Jonkman	Republican	February 19, 1940 – January 3, 1949
Gerald Ford	Republican	January 3, 1949 – December 6, 1973	Resigned to become Vice-President of the United States
Vacant		December 6, 1973 – February 18, 1974
Richard Vander Veen	Democratic	February 18, 1974 – January 3, 1977
Harold S. Sawyer	Republican	January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1985
Paul B. Henry	Republican	January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1993	Redistricted to the 3rd district
James A. Barcia	Democratic	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2003
Dale E. Kildee	Democratic	January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2013	Redistricted from the 9th district Retired
Dan Kildee	Democratic	January 3, 2013 – Present	First elected in 2012

Historical district boundaries

1993 - 2003

2003 - 2013

See also

• Michigan'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

Bibliography

• Govtrack.us for the 7th District - Lists current Senators and representative, and map showing district outline
• The Political graveyard: U.S. Representatives from Michigan, 1807-2003
• U.S. Representatives 1837-2003, Michigan Manual 2003-2004

Coordinates: 44°04′55″N 83°41′24″W / 44.08194°N 83.69000°W / 44.08194; -83.69000