Tennessee's 7th congressional district

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The 7th congressional district of Tennessee is a congressional district located in parts of Middle and West Tennessee. It has been represented by Republican Mark Green since January 2019. The seventh district has significant urban, suburban, and rural areas. Although most of the area is rural, more than half of the district's votes are cast in either Davidson County (Nashville), Montgomery County (Clarksville), or Williamson County (Franklin).

Tennessee's 7th congressional district
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative
Population (2023)813,590[2]
Median household
income
$74,881[3]
Ethnicity
Cook PVIR+10[4]

By most measures, Williamson County is the wealthiest county in the state and is usually ranked near the top nationally.[5]

The district has a very strong military presence, as it includes Tennessee's share of Fort Campbell. Politically speaking, the area was secessionist and part of the Democrats' "Solid South" for a century after the Civil War, excluding heavily Republican Unionist Highland Rim Wayne County. Starting with the election of Don Sundquist in 1983, this district has become one of the most Republican areas in Tennessee. The presence of Nashville's suburbs gives it a character similar to those of most affluent suburban districts in much of the South until the mid-2000s. It has a strong social conservative bent; many of the state's most politically active churches are either located here or draw most of their congregations from here.

The rural secessionist counties are similar demographically to the 8th district and returned to the Democrats until the 2000s; three of the five Tennessee counties won by George McGovern lie within this district. However, since the mid-2000s, these counties have turned overwhelmingly Republican in all elections. Currently, the only Democratic stronghold in the district is part of Nashville, which was added during the 2020 redistricting cycle. The city of Clarksville is the most competitive part of the district, which still occasionally elects Democrats to the state legislature.

History

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Districts stretching from Clarksville to West Tennessee have existed in one form or another since 1871. For most of the time, from 1933 to 1983 (except for 1943 to 1953), it was numbered as the 6th district.

This district assumed something approaching its current configuration in 1973, when Tennessee lost a congressional district. At that time, the 6th was redrawn to stretch from Williamson County, south of Nashville, to the eastern suburbs of Memphis and covering the rural areas in between. Republican Robin Beard represented this area from 1973 to 1983.

Tennessee gained a congressional district following the 1980 census. At this time, the district was re-numbered as the 7th and lost its eastern counties to the 4th and 6th districts. At the same time, most of its black residents closer to Memphis were drawn into the 9th district. Following this re-districting, Beard made an unsuccessful U.S. Senate bid, and was replaced by former Shelby County Republican Party chair Don Sundquist.

Sundquist served through the rest of the 1980s through the 1990 re-districting, which saw the district lose some of its rural counties while picking up Maury County. In 1994, Sundquist successfully ran for Governor of Tennessee, defeating future governor Phil Bredesen. Sundquist was then replaced by Ed Bryant. Bryant served from 1995 until 2002, when the district was gerrymandered by the Democrat-led Tennessee General Assembly to pack the consistently Republican suburbs of Nashville and Memphis into one district. The result was a district that was 200 miles (320 km) long, but only two miles (3.2 km) wide at some points in the Middle Tennessee portion. Following that re-districting, the area chose Brentwood-based state senator Marsha Blackburn. She served from 2003 to 2019.

Redistricting after the 2010 census made the district somewhat more compact, restoring a configuration similar to the 1983-2003 lines. However, it lost its share of the Memphis suburbs to the 8th, a move which made the 8th as heavily Republican as the 7th. In 2018, Blackburn successfully ran for the U.S. Senate, defeating former governor Phil Bredesen. In the concurrent election, the district selected doctor and former state senator Mark E. Green.

Redistricting after the 2020 census made the district somewhat less Republican. This was because Tennessee's legislature cracked Davidson County into 3 congressional districts to bopst Republican support in the 5th district. The 7th district now obtains the western portion of Nashville while it lost some rural counties to the 8th district.[6][7]

Despite the dramatic changes to the district's boundaries, the district is still considered safe Republican, with a Cook PVI of R+10.[8] Republican Congressman Mark Green still represents the district to this day.

Current boundaries

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The district is located in both West and Middle Tennessee. It stretches as far north as the Kentucky border, as far south as the Alabama border, as far east as Franklin, and as far west as Camden.

It is currently composed of the following counties: Cheatham, Dickson, Decatur, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery, Perry, Robertson, Stewart, and Wayne. It also includes significant portions of Benton, Davidson, and Williamson.

Recent election results

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Results under old lines (2013-2023)
2012 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Marsha Blackburn (Incumbent) 182,730 71.0
Democratic Credo Amouzouvik 61,679 24.0
Green Howard Switzer 4,640 1.8
Independent Jack Arnold 4,256 1.7
Independent William Akin 2,740 1.1
Independent Lenny Ladner 1,261 0.5
Total votes 257,306 100
Republican hold
2014 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Marsha Blackburn (incumbent) 110,534 70.0
Democratic Daniel Cramer 42,280 26.8
Independent Leonard D. Ladner 5,093 3.2
Total votes 157,907 100.0
Republican hold
2016 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Marsha Blackburn (incumbent) 200,407 72.2
Democratic Tharon Chandler 65,226 23.5
Independent Leonard D. Ladner 11,880 4.3
Total votes 277,513 100.0
Republican hold
2018 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Green 170,071 66.9
Democratic Justin Kanew 81,661 32.1
Independent Leonard Ladner 1,582 0.6
Independent Brent Legendre 1,070 0.4
Total votes 254,384 100.0
Republican hold
2020 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Green (incumbent) 245,188 69.9
Democratic Kiran Sreepada 95,839 27.3
Independent Ronald Brown 7,603 2.2
Independent Scott Vieira 2,005 0.6
Total votes 350,635 100.0
Republican hold

Results under current lines (2023-present)

2022 Tennessee's 7th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Green (incumbent) 108,421 59.96%
Democratic Odessa Kelly 68,973 38.14%
Independent Steven J. Hooper 3,428 1.90%
Total votes 180,822 100.00%
Republican hold

Election results from statewide races

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Results under old lines (2013–2023)

Year Office Result
2000 President George W. Bush 59% - Al Gore 40%
2004 President George W. Bush 66% - John Kerry 33%
2008 President John McCain 65% - Barack Obama 34%
2012 President Mitt Romney 65% - Barack Obama 33%
2016 President Donald Trump 67% - Hillary Clinton 28%
2020 President Donald Trump 66% - Joe Biden 31%

List of members representing the district

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Name Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history
District established March 4, 1823
 
Sam Houston
(Nashville)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 - March 4, 1825 18th
19th
Elected in 1823.
Re-elected in 1825.
Retired to run for Governor of Tennessee.
Jacksonian March 4, 1825 - March 4, 1827
 
John Bell
(Nashville)
Jacksonian March 4, 1827 –
March 3, 1835
20th
21st
22nd
23rd
24th
25th
26th
Elected in 1827.
Re-elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
Re-elected in 1833.
Re-elected in 1835.
Re-elected in 1837.
Re-elected in 1839.
Retired to become U.S. Secretary of War.
Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1835 –
March 3, 1837
Whig March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1841
 
Robert L. Caruthers
(Lebanon)
Whig March 4, 1841 –
March 3, 1843
27th Elected in 1841.
Retired.
David W. Dickinson
(Murfreesboro)
Whig March 4, 1843 –
March 3, 1845
28th Elected in 1843.
Retired.
 
Meredith P. Gentry
(Franklin)
Whig March 4, 1845 –
March 3, 1853
29th
30th
31st
32nd
Elected in 1845.
Re-elected in 1847.
Re-elected in 1849.
Re-elected in 1851.
Retired.
Robert M. Bugg
(Lynnville)
Whig March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1855
33rd Elected in 1853.
Retired.
 
John V. Wright
(Purdy)
Democratic March 4, 1855 –
March 3, 1861
34th
35th
36th
Elected in 1855.
Re-elected in 1857.
Re-elected in 1859.
Could not seek re-election, as West Tennessee seceded.
District inactive March 4, 1861 –
July 24, 1866
37th
38th
39th
Civil War and Reconstruction
 
Isaac R. Hawkins
(Huntingdon)
Unionist July 24, 1866 –
March 3, 1867
39th
40th
41st
Elected in 1865.
Re-elected in 1867.
Re-elected in 1868.
Retired.
Republican March 4, 1867 –
March 3, 1871
 
Robert P. Caldwell
(Trenton)
Democratic March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1873
42nd Elected in 1870.
Lost renomination.
 
John Atkins
(Paris)
Democratic March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1875
43rd Elected in 1872.
Redistricted to the 8th district.
 
Washington C. Whitthorne
(Columbia)
Democratic March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1883
44th
45th
46th
47th
Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Retired.
 
John G. Ballentine
(Pulaski)
Democratic March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1887
48th
49th
Elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Retired.
 
Washington C. Whitthorne
(Columbia)
Democratic March 4, 1887 –
March 4, 1891
50th
51st
Elected in 1886.
Re-elected in 1888.
Retired.
 
Nicholas N. Cox
(Franklin)
Democratic March 4, 1891 –
March 3, 1901
52nd
53rd
54th
55th
56th
Elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Retired.
 
Lemuel P. Padgett
(Columbia)
Democratic March 4, 1901 –
August 2, 1922
57th
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd
63rd
64th
65th
66th
67th
Elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Died.
Vacant August 2, 1922 –
November 6, 1922
67th
 
Clarence W. Turner
(Waverly)
Democratic November 7, 1922 –
March 3, 1923
Elected to finish Padgett's term.
Retired.
 
William C. Salmon
(Columbia)
Democratic March 4, 1923 –
March 3, 1925
68th Elected in 1922.
Retired.
 
Edward E. Eslick
(Pulaski)
Democratic March 4, 1925 –
June 14, 1932
69th
70th
71st
72nd
Elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Died.
Vacant June 14, 1932 –
August 12, 1932
72nd
 
Willa Eslick
(Pulaski)
Democratic August 13, 1932 –
March 3, 1933
Elected to finish her husband's term.
Retired.
 
Gordon Browning
(Huntingdon)
Democratic March 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1935
73rd Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1932.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Herron C. Pearson
(Jackson)
Democratic January 3, 1935 –
January 3, 1943
74th
75th
76th
77th
Elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Retired.
 
W. Wirt Courtney
(Franklin)
Democratic January 3, 1943 –
January 3, 1949
78th
79th
80th
Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Lost renomination.
 
James P. Sutton
(Lawrenceburg)
Democratic January 3, 1949 –
January 3, 1953
81st
82nd
Elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Redistricted to the 6th district.
 
Tom J. Murray
(Jackson)
Democratic January 3, 1953 –
December 30, 1966
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Lost renomination and resigned early.
Vacant December 31, 1966 –
January 2, 1967
89th
 
Ray Blanton
(Adamsville)
Democratic January 3, 1967– January 3, 1973 90th
91st
92nd
Elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Re-elected in 1970.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
 
Ed Jones
(Yorkville)
Democratic January 3, 1973 –
January 3, 1983
93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th
Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1972.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Redistricted to the 8th district.
 
Don Sundquist
(Memphis)
Republican January 3, 1983 –
January 3, 1995
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
Elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Retired to run for Governor of Tennessee.
 
Ed Bryant
(Henderson)
Republican January 3, 1995 –
January 3, 2003
104th
105th
106th
107th
Elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
 
Marsha Blackburn
(Brentwood)
Republican January 3, 2003 –
January 3, 2019
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th
114th
115th
Elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
 
Mark E. Green
(Clarksville)
Republican January 3, 2019 –
present
116th
117th
118th
Elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022
Running for re-election.

Historical district boundaries

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2003–2013
 
2013–2023

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  2. ^ "B03002: 2023 American Community Survey 1-year Estimates - Congressional District 7 (118th Congress), Tennessee". United States Census Bureau.
  3. ^ Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  4. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  5. ^ "7. Williamson County, TN (Median household income: $104,367)". Forbes. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  6. ^ "GOP redraws Nashville from 1 Democratic district into 3 Republican-leaning districts". WJCT News. July 26, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  7. ^ Witherspoon, Andrew; Levine, Sam (January 26, 2022). "A masterclass in election-rigging: how Republicans 'dismembered' a Democratic stronghold". The Guardian. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  8. ^ "2022 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. July 12, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2024.

35°38′02″N 87°49′59″W / 35.63389°N 87.83306°W / 35.63389; -87.83306