Michigan's 15th congressional district

Michigan's 15th congressional district is an obsolete congressional district in the state of Michigan.

Michigan's 15th congressional district
Obsolete district
Created1930
Eliminated2010
Years active1933-2013
The district from 1993 to 2003
The district from 2003 to 2013

Historically, the district's politics have been dominated by the Dingell family since its creation after the 1930 United States census. Its first congressman, John D. Dingell, Sr., was elected in 1932 and served until his death in 1955. His son, John, Jr. won a special election to succeed him; upon Dingell Jr.'s own retirement in 2015, his wife Debbie Dingell won his seat and is now the incumbent. As such, the district (even after it was absorbed by the 12th district in 2013) has been represented continuously by a Dingell for the last 89 years.

The 15th district historically had left-of-center voting tendencies. Its last Cook PVI rating was D+13, meaning it supported Democratic candidates at a rate of 13 percentage points greater than the national average.

This district became obsolete for the 113th Congress in 2013 as congressional district lines were redrawn to accommodate the loss of the seat due to reapportionment as a result of the 2010 census. Most of the district's territory, including Ann Arbor and Dingell's home in Dearborn, became part of the new 12th district, which had previously been based in Oakland, and Macomb Counties.

Along with the 1st district and the now-defunct 16th district, the 15th has been historically frequently represented by politicians of Polish descent. Three of the district's six elected representatives (Dingell Jr. served here twice and in between he was a representative from the 16th district, which was later dissolved) have been Polish-Americans.

Major cities from 2003 to 2013

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Voting

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Election results from presidential races
Year Office Results
2008 President Obama 66 - 33%
2004 President Kerry 62 - 38%
2000 President Gore 60 - 38%
1996 President Clinton 87 - 10%
1992 President Clinton 82 - 13%

List of representatives

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Representative Party Tenure Cong
ress
Election history
District created March 3, 1933
 
John Dingell Sr.
(Detroit)
Democratic March 3, 1933 –
September 19, 1955
73rd
74th
75th
76th
77th
78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
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.
Died.
Vacant September 19, 1955 –
December 13, 1955
84th
 
John Dingell
(Detroit)
Democratic December 13, 1955 –
January 3, 1965
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
Elected to finish his father's term.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Redistricted to the 16th district.
 
William D. Ford
(Taylor)
Democratic January 3, 1965 –
January 3, 1993
89th
90th
91st
92nd
93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
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.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Redistricted to the 13th district.
 
Barbara-Rose Collins
(Detroit)
Democratic January 3, 1993 –
January 3, 1997
103rd
104th
Redistricted from the 13th district and re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Lost renomination.
 
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick
(Detroit)
Democratic January 3, 1997 –
January 3, 2003
105th
106th
107th
Elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Redistricted to the 13th district.
 
John Dingell
(Dearborn)
Democratic January 3, 2003 –
January 3, 2013
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
Redistricted from the 16th district and re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Redistricted to the 12th district.
District eliminated January 3, 2013

References

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  • U.S. Representatives 1837-2003, Michigan Manual 2003-2004
  • 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

42°0′N 83°30′W / 42.000°N 83.500°W / 42.000; -83.500