Massachusetts's 7th congressional district
Massachusetts's 7th congressional district | |
---|---|
Population (2023) | 744,098 |
Median household income | $88,518[1] |
Ethnicity |
|
Cook PVI | D+34[2] |
Massachusetts's 7th congressional district is a congressional district located in eastern Massachusetts, including roughly three-fourths of the city of Boston and a few of its northern and southern suburbs. The seat is currently held by Democrat Ayanna Pressley.
Due to redistricting after the 2010 census, the borders of the district were changed, with most of the old 7th district redistricted to the new 5th district,[3] and most of the old 8th district comprising the new 7th district. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+34, it is the most Democratic district in Massachusetts, a state with an all-Democratic congressional delegation.[2]
According to
In 2019, Ayanna Pressley became the first female and person of color to represent the district as well as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in Congress.[5]
Recent election results from statewide races
Year | Office | Results[6] |
---|---|---|
2008 | President | Obama 82% - 16% |
Senate | Kerry 86% - 14% | |
2010 | Senate (Spec.) | Coakley 74% - 26% |
Governor | Patrick 74% - 20% | |
2012 | President | Obama 84% - 16% |
Senate | Warren 79% - 21% | |
2014 | Senate | Markey 85% - 15% |
Governor | Coakley 72% - 25% | |
2016 | President | Clinton 83% - 12% |
2018 | Senate | Warren 85% - 13% |
Governor | Gonzalez 57% - 43% | |
Attorney General | Healey 89% - 11% | |
2020 | President | Biden 85% - 13% |
Senate | Markey 86% - 13% | |
2022 | Governor | Healey 84% - 14% |
Secretary of the Commonwealth | Galvin 83% - 12% | |
Attorney General | Campbell 85% - 15% | |
Auditor | DiZoglio 74% - 17% | |
2024 | President | Harris 79% - 17% |
Senate | Warren 82% - 18% |
Cities and towns in the district
For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of three counties and 7 municipalities:[7]
Middlesex County (3)
- Cambridge (part; also 5th), Everett, Somerville
Norfolk County (2)
Suffolk County (2)
Cities and towns in the district prior to 2013
1790s-1830s
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2013) |
1840s
1849: "The whole of Berkshire County; Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont, Coleraine, Conway, Hawley, Heath, Leyden, Monroe, Rowe, and Shelburne, in Franklin County; Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Middlefield, Norwich, Plainfield, Southampton, Westhampton, Williamsburg, and Worthington, in Hampshire County; and Blandford, Chester, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, and Tolland, in the County of Hampden."[8]
1850s–1880s
An act of the legislature passed April 22, 1852, divided the 7th district of Massachusetts as such: "The towns of Andover, Boxford, Bradford, Danvers, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lynnfield, Methuen, Middleton, Saugus, and Topsfield in the county of Essex; and the city of Charlestown, and the towns of Burlington, Lexington, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Reading, Somerville, South Reading, Stoneham, Waltham, and Woburn, in the county of Middlesex."[9]
1890s

1893: "Essex County: Towns of Lynn, Nahant, and Saugus. Middlesex County: Towns of Everett, Malden, Melrose, Stoneham, and Wakefield. Suffolk County: 4th and 5th wards of the city of Boston, and the towns of Chelsea and Revere."[10]
1910s
1916: In Essex County: Boxford, Lawrence, Lynn, Lynnfield, Middleton, Nahant, North Andover, Peabody, Saugus. In Middlesex County: North Reading.[11][12]
1940s
1941: In Essex County: Lawrence, Lynn (part), Middleton, Nahant, North Andover, Peabody. In Suffolk County: Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop.[13]
1950s-2002
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2013) |
2003-2013

In Middlesex County:
- Arlington
- Belmont
- Everett
- Framingham
- Lexington
- Lincoln
- Malden
- Medford
- Melrose
- Natick
- Stoneham
- Waltham
- Watertown
- Wayland: Precinct 2
- Weston
- Winchester
- Woburn
In Suffolk County:
List of members representing the district
Member | Party | Years | Cong ress |
Electoral history | District location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
District created March 4, 1789 | |||||
George Leonard )
(Raynham |
Pro-Administration | March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1791 |
1st | Elected in 1788. .
Redistricted to the 6th district |
1789–1793 Nantucket County
|
![]() Artemas Ward (Shrewsbury) |
Pro-Administration | March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793 |
2nd | Elected in 1790. Redistricted to the 2nd district. | |
District inactive | March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795 |
3rd | |||
George Leonard )
(Raynham |
Federalist
|
March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797 |
4th | Elected in 1795 on the fourth ballot.Retired. |
1795–1803 "3rd Southern district" |
Stephen Bullock (Rehoboth) |
Federalist
|
March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799 |
5th | Elected in 1797 on the third ballot.Lost re-election. | |
Phanuel Bishop (Rehoboth) |
Democratic-Republican
|
March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1803 |
6th 7th |
Re-elected in 1800. .
Redistricted to the 9th district | |
![]() Nahum Mitchell (East Bridgewater) |
Federalist
|
March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805 |
8th | Elected in 1802 .Lost re-election. |
1803–1815 "Plymouth district" |
Middleboro )
|
Democratic-Republican
|
March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1809 |
9th 10th |
Elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Retired. | |
William Baylies (Bridgewater) |
Federalist
|
March 4, 1809 – June 28, 1809 |
11th | Elected in 1808. Lost election challenge.[a] | |
Charles Turner Jr. (Scituate) |
Democratic-Republican
|
June 28, 1809 – March 3, 1813 |
11th 12th |
Won election challenge.[a] Re-elected in 1810. Lost re-election. | |
William Baylies (Bridgewater) |
Federalist
|
March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815 |
13th | Elected in 1812. Redistricted to the 8th district. | |
John W. Hulbert (Pittsfield) |
Federalist
|
March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817 |
14th | Redistricted from the 12th district and re-elected in 1814. Retired. |
1815–1823 "Berkshire district" |
Lanesboro )
|
Democratic-Republican
|
March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1821 |
15th 16th |
Elected in 1816. Re-elected in 1819 on the second ballot. Retired. | |
![]() Henry W. Dwight (Stockbridge) |
Federalist
|
March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823 |
17th | Elected in 1820. Redistricted to the 9th district. | |
Samuel C. Allen (Greenfield) |
Federalist
|
March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 |
18th 19th 20th |
Redistricted from the 6th district. Re-elected in 1825. Re-elected in 1826. [data missing] |
1823–1833 "Franklin district" |
Anti-Jacksonian
|
March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1829 | ||||
George Grennell Jr. (Greenfield) |
Anti-Jacksonian
|
March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1833 |
21st 22nd |
Re-elected in 1830. .
Redistricted to the 6th district | |
Lanesboro )
|
Anti-Jacksonian
|
March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837 |
23rd 24th 25th 26th 27th |
Redistricted from the Re-elected in 1840 .Retired. |
1833–1843 [data missing] |
Whig | March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1843 | ||||
![]() Julius Rockwell (Pittsfield) |
Whig | March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1851 |
28th 29th 30th 31st |
Re-elected in 1848. ]
[data missing |
1843–1853 [data missing] |
![]() John Z. Goodrich (Glendale) |
Whig | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 |
32nd | Elected in 1851. .
Redistricted to the 11th district | |
![]() Nathaniel P. Banks (Waltham) |
Democratic | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 |
33rd 34th 35th |
Re-elected in 1856. .
Resigned to become Governor of Massachusetts |
1853–1863 [data missing] |
Know Nothing | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 | ||||
Republican | March 4, 1857 – December 24, 1857 | ||||
Vacant | December 24, 1857 – January 31, 1858 |
35th | |||
![]() Daniel W. Gooch[15] (Melrose) |
Republican | January 31, 1858 – March 3, 1863 |
35th 36th 37th |
Re-elected in 1860. .
Redistricted to the 6th district | |
![]() George S. Boutwell (Groton) |
Republican | March 4, 1863 – March 12, 1869 |
38th 39th 40th 41st |
U.S. Secretary of Treasury .
|
1863–1873 [data missing] |
Vacant | March 12, 1869 – November 2, 1869 |
41st | |||
![]() George M. Brooks (Concord) |
Republican | November 2, 1869 – May 13, 1872 |
41st 42nd |
Re-elected in 1870 .Resigned. | |
Vacant | May 13, 1872 – December 2, 1872 |
42nd | |||
![]() Constantine C. Esty (Framingham) |
Republican | December 2, 1872 – March 3, 1873 |
Elected to finish Brooks's term. ]
[data missing | ||
![]() Ebenezer R. Hoar (Concord) |
Republican | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 |
43rd | Elected in 1872. ]
[data missing |
1873–1883 [data missing] |
![]() John K. Tarbox (Lawrence) |
Democratic | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 |
44th | Elected in 1874. ]
[data missing | |
) | Republican | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879 |
45th | Elected in 1876. ]
[data missing | |
![]() William A. Russell[17] (Lawrence) |
Republican | March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1883 |
46th 47th |
Re-elected in 1880. .
Redistricted to the 8th district | |
![]() Eben F. Stone (Newburyport) |
Republican | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887 |
48th 49th |
Redistricted from the Re-elected in 1884. ]
[data missing |
1883–1893 [data missing] |
![]() William Cogswell (Salem) |
Republican | March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1893 |
50th 51st 52nd |
Re-elected in 1890. .
Redistricted to the 6th district | |
Vacant | March 4, 1893 – April 25, 1893 |
53rd | Member re-elected in 1892 , but resigned to become a U.S. senator.
|
1893–1903 [data missing] | |
![]() William Everett (Quincy) |
Democratic | April 25, 1893 – March 3, 1895 |
Elected to finish Cabot Lodge's term. ]
[data missing | ||
![]() William Emerson Barrett[18] (Melrose) |
Republican | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899 |
54th 55th |
Re-elected in 1896. ]
[data missing | |
![]() Ernest W. Roberts[19] (Chelsea) |
Republican | March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1913 |
56th 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd |
Re-elected in 1910. .
Redistricted to the 9th district | |
1903–1913 [data missing] | |||||
![]() Michael Francis Phelan (Lynn) |
Democratic | March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1921 |
63rd 64th 65th 66th |
Re-elected in 1918 .Lost re-election. |
1913–1923 [data missing] |
![]() Robert S. Maloney (Lawrence) |
Republican | March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1923 |
67th | Elected in 1920 .Lost re-election. | |
![]() William P. Connery Jr. (Lynn) |
Democratic | March 4, 1923 – June 15, 1937 |
68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd 73rd 74th 75th |
Re-elected in 1934 .Died. |
1923–1933 [data missing] |
1933–1943 [data missing] | |||||
Vacant | June 16, 1937 – September 27, 1937 |
75th | |||
![]() Lawrence J. Connery[20] (Lynn) |
Democratic | September 28, 1937 – October 19, 1941 |
75th 76th 77th |
Re-elected in 1940 .Died. | |
Vacant | October 20, 1941 – December 29, 1941 |
77th | |||
![]() Thomas J. Lane (Lawrence) |
Democratic | December 30, 1941 – January 3, 1963 |
77th 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th |
Re-elected in 1960. and lost re-election.
Redistricted to the 5th district | |
1943–1953 [data missing] | |||||
1953–1963 [data missing] | |||||
) | Democratic | January 3, 1963 – May 21, 1976 |
88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th |
Redistricted from the Re-elected in 1974 .Died. |
1963–1973 [data missing] |
1973–1983 [data missing] | |||||
Vacant | May 22, 1976 – November 1, 1976 |
94th | |||
![]() Ed Markey[22] (Malden) |
Democratic | November 2, 1976 – January 3, 2013 |
94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th |
Re-elected in 2002. .
Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Redistricted to the 5th district | |
1983–1993 [data missing] | |||||
1993–2003 [data missing] | |||||
2003–2013 [data missing] | |||||
Michael Capuano )
(Somerville |
Democratic | January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2019 |
113th 114th 115th |
Redistricted from the 8th district. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Lost renomination. |
2013–2023![]() |
![]() Ayanna Pressley (Boston) |
Democratic | January 3, 2019 – present |
116th 117th 118th 119th |
Elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | |
2023–present![]() |
Recent election results
2012
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Mike Capuano (incumbent) | 210,794 | 83.4 | |
Independent | Karla Romero | 41,199 | 16.3 | |
n/a
|
Write-ins | 843 | 0.2 | |
Total votes | 252,836 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
2014
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Mike Capuano (incumbent) | 142,133 | 98.3 | |
n/a
|
Write-ins | 2,413 | 1.7 | |
Total votes | 144,546 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
2016
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Mike Capuano (incumbent) | 253,354 | 98.6 | |
n/a
|
Write-ins | 3,557 | 1.4 | |
Total votes | 256,911 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
2018
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ayanna Pressley | 216,557 | 98.2 | |
Write-in | 3,852 | 1.8 | ||
Total votes | 220,409 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
2020
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ayanna Pressley (incumbent) | 267,362 | 86.6 | |
Independent | Roy A. Owens, Sr. | 38,675 | 12.5 | |
Write-in | 2,613 | 0.9 | ||
Total votes | 308,650 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
2022
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ayanna Pressley (incumbent) | 151,825 | 84.6 | |
Republican | Donnie Palmer | 27,129 | 15.1 | |
Write-in | 557 | 0.3 | ||
Total votes | 179,511 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
2024
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ayanna Pressley (incumbent) | 232,094 | 97.1 | |
Write-in | 6,907 | 2.9 | ||
Total votes | 239,001 | 100.0 | ||
Democratic hold |
Notes
- ^ a b In the 1808 election, there were 430 votes for "Charles Turner," which were counted separately from Charles Turner Jr. (Democratic-Republican). This caused the vote tally to be William Baylies (Federalist) 1,828 (49.4%), Charles Turner Jr. (Democratic-Republican) 1,443 (39.0%), "Charles Turner" 430 (11.6%).[citation needed] As no candidate had a majority, a second election was held on January 19, 1809, which elected Baylies with 54.3% of the vote.Turner successfully contested this election and was subsequently declared the winner based on the first ballot, with the second invalidated. He was seated June 8, 1809[14]
References
Citations
- ^ "Congressional District 7 (119th Congress), Massachusetts". www.census.gov.
- ^ a b "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)". Cook Political Report. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
- ^ http://www.sec.state.ma.us/spr/sprcat/catpdf2010/cong2010/CongressionalDistrict_2011State.pdf Access date: March 21, 2012.
- ^ Krantz, Laura (July 17, 2019). "Ayanna Pressley wants to get back to the issues, although ignoring the president isn't easy". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on July 18, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
- ^ Hess, Abigail Johnson (November 6, 2018). "Meet Ayanna Pressley, who is on track to become Massachusetts' first black Congresswoman". CNBC. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
- ^ "DRA 2020". Daves Redistricting.
- ^ https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST25/CD118_MA07.pdf
- .
- ^ "Congressional Districts". Massachusetts Register (1st ed.). Boston, MA: Sampson Adams & Co. 1862.
- .
- .
- OCLC 10056477,
House No. 2849
- ^ "Eleventh Congress (membership roster)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 13, 2012. Retrieved December 13, 2012.
- ^ "Massachusetts". Congressional Directory for the Second Session of the Thirty-Seventh Congress. Washington DC: House of Representatives. 1861.
- ISBN 9780160411762.
- ^ Ben. Perley Poore (1882). "Massachusetts". Congressional Directory: 47th Congress (3rd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office.
- ^ L.A. Coolidge (1897). "Massachusetts". Official Congressional Directory: Fifty-Fifth Congress. Washington DC: Government Printing Office.
- ^ A.J. Halford (1909). "Massachusetts". Congressional Directory: 60th Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office.
- ^ "Massachusetts". Official Congressional Directory: 75th Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1938.
- ^ "Massachusetts". Official Congressional Directory: 90th Congress. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1968.
- ^ "Massachusetts". 1991-1992 Official Congressional Directory: 102nd Congress. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1991.
- ^ "PD43+ » Search Elections". PD43+.
- ^ "PD43+ » Search Elections". PD43+.
- ^ "Massachusetts Secretary of State General Election Results 2016". Massachusetts Secretary of State. November 8, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
- ]
- ^ "2020 - US House - All General Election Results". Massachusetts Election Statistics. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
- ^ "2022 U.S. House General Election 7th Congressional District". Massachusetts Election Statistics. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
magen
was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
General sources
- 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
External links
- Map of Massachusetts's 7th Congressional District, via Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
- Rose Institute of State and Local Government, "Massachusetts: 2010 Redistricting Changes: Seventh District", Redistricting by State, Claremont, CA: Claremont McKenna College, archived from the original on September 15, 2020
- "Our Campaigns - United States - Massachusetts - MA - District 07". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 31, 2020.