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Massachusetts's 8th congressional district

Coordinates: 42°11′41″N 70°56′38″W / 42.19472°N 70.94389°W / 42.19472; -70.94389
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Massachusetts's 8th congressional district
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative
Population (2023)791,775[1]
Median household
income		$114,053[1]
Ethnicity
Cook PVID+15[2]

Massachusetts's 8th congressional district is located in eastern Massachusetts, including part of Boston. It is represented by Democrat Stephen Lynch. For one congressional term (1791–1793), it served as the home district of the District of Maine. The district boundaries were significantly changed, as of the elections of 2012, due to redistricting after the 2010 census, with the old 8th district largely being shifted to the new 7th district.[3] The new 8th district comprises many of the communities of the old 9th district, as well as some easternmost Norfolk County communities and northernmost Plymouth County communities of the old 10th district.

This district has the distinction of being the only one ever represented by someone who had previously served as president of the United States, as John Quincy Adams held this office after leaving the presidency from 1843 until his death in 1848.

Election results from presidential races

[edit]
Year Office Result
2000 President Gore 72 - 17%
2004 President Kerry 79 - 19%
2008 President Obama 58 - 40.5%
2012 President Obama 57.8 - 40.8%
2016 President Clinton 60.4 - 34.4%
2020 President Biden 66 - 32%

Cities and towns in the district

[edit]

Bristol County (1)

Easton

Norfolk County (12)

Avon, Braintree, Canton, Dedham, Holbrook, Milton (part, also 7th), Norwood, Quincy, Stoughton, Walpole (includes Walpole CDP), Westwood, Weymouth

Plymouth County (7)

Abington, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Hingham (includes Hingham CDP), Hull, West Bridgewater, Whitman

Suffolk County (1)

Boston (part, also 7th)

List of members representing the district

[edit]
Representative Party Years Cong
ress 		Electoral history District location
District created March 4, 1789

Jonathan Grout
(Lunenburg) 		Anti-Administration March 4, 1789 –
March 3, 1791 		1st Elected in 1788.
Redistricted to the 7th district and lost re-election. 		1789–1793
Worcester County
Vacant March 4, 1791 –
April 4, 1791 		2nd

George Thatcher
(Biddeford) 		Pro-Administration April 4, 1791 –
March 3, 1793 		Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected late in 1791.
Redistricted to the 4th district.
District inactive March 4, 1793 –
March 3, 1795 		3rd

Fisher Ames
(Dedham) 		Federalist March 4, 1795 –
March 3, 1797 		4th Redistricted from the 1st district and re-elected in 1794.
Retired. 		1795–1803
"1st Middle district"

Harrison Gray Otis
(Boston) 		Federalist March 4, 1797 –
March 3, 1801 		5th
6th 		Elected in 1796.
Re-elected in 1798.
Retired.

William Eustis
(Boston) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1801 –
March 3, 1803 		7th Elected in 1800.
Redistricted to the 1st district.
Lemuel Williams
(New Bedford) 		Federalist March 4, 1803 –
March 3, 1805 		8th Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 1802.
Lost re-election. 		1803–1815
"Barnstable district"
Isaiah L. Green
(Barnstable) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1805 –
March 3, 1809 		9th
10th 		Elected in 1804.
Re-elected in 1806.
Retired.
Gideon Gardner
(Nantucket) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1809 –
March 3, 1811 		11th Elected in 1808.
Retired.
Isaiah L. Green
(Barnstable) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1811 –
March 3, 1813 		12th Elected in 1810.
Lost re-election.
John Reed Jr.
(Yarmouth) 		Federalist March 4, 1813 –
March 3, 1815 		13th Elected in 1812.
Redistricted to the 9th district.
William Baylies
(Bridgewater) 		Federalist March 4, 1815 –
March 3, 1817 		14th Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1814.
Retired. 		1815–1823
"Plymouth district"
Zabdiel Sampson
(Plymouth) 		Democratic-Republican March 4, 1817 –
July 26, 1820 		15th
16th 		Elected in 1817 on the second ballot.
Resigned to become collector of customs in Plymouth.
Vacant July 26, 1820 –
November 24, 1820 		16th
Aaron Hobart
(Hanover) 		Democratic-Republican November 24, 1820 –
March 3, 1823 		16th
17th 		Elected in 1820.
Later elected on the second ballot to finish Sampson's term and seated December 18, 1820.
Redistricted to the 11th district.
Samuel Lathrop
(West Springfield) 		Adams-Clay Federalist March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825 		18th
19th 		Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 1822.
Re-elected in 1825 on the third ballot.
[data missing] 		1823–1833
"Hampden district"
Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1827

Isaac C. Bates
(Northampton) 		Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1827 –
March 3, 1835 		20th
21st
22nd
23rd 		Elected in 1827 on the third ballot.
Re-elected in 1828.
Re-elected in 1830.
Re-elected in 1833.
Retired.
1833–1843
[data missing]

William B. Calhoun
(Springfield) 		Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1835 –
March 3, 1837 		24th
25th
26th
27th 		Elected in 1834.
Re-elected in 1836.
Re-elected in 1838.
Re-elected in 1840.
Retired.
Whig March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1843

John Quincy Adams
(Quincy) 		Whig March 4, 1843 –
February 23, 1848 		28th
29th
30th 		Redistricted from the 12th district and re-elected in 1842.
Re-elected in 1844.
Re-elected in 1846.
Died. 		1843–1853
"All the towns in Norfolk County; Abington, North Bridgewater, Hingham, and Hull, in the County of Plymouth; and Brighton, Holliston, Natick, Newton, and Sherburne, in the County of Middlesex."[4]
Vacant February 24, 1848 –
April 2, 1848 		30th

Horace Mann
(West Newton) 		Whig April 3, 1848 –
March 3, 1853 		30th
31st
32nd 		Elected to finish Adams's term.
Re-elected later in 1848.
Re-elected in 1850.
[data missing]

Tappan Wentworth
(Lowell) 		Whig March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1855 		33rd Elected in 1852.
[data missing] 		1853–1863
"The city of Lowell, and the towns of Acton, Ashby, Ashland, Bedford, Billerica, Boxborough, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Framingham, Groton, Hopkinton, Lincoln, Littleton, Marlborough, Natick, Pepperell, Shirley, Stow, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Wayland. Westford, and Weston, in the county of Middlesex; and the towns of Berlin, Bolton, Harvard, Lunenburg, Northborough, Southborough, and Westborough, in the county of Worcester."[5]

Chauncey L. Knapp
(Lowell) 		Know Nothing March 4, 1855 –
March 3, 1857 		34th
35th 		Elected in 1854.
Re-elected in 1856.
[data missing]
Republican March 4, 1857 –
March 3, 1859

Charles R. Train[6]
(Framingham) 		Republican March 4, 1859 –
March 3, 1863 		36th
37th 		Elected in 1858.
Re-elected in 1860.
[data missing]

John D. Baldwin
(Worcester) 		Republican March 4, 1863 –
March 3, 1869 		38th
39th
40th 		Elected in 1862.
Re-elected in 1864.
Re-elected in 1866.
[data missing] 		1863–1873
[data missing]

George F. Hoar[7]
(Worcester) 		Republican March 4, 1869 –
March 3, 1873 		41st
42nd 		Elected in 1868.
Re-elected in 1870.
Redistricted to the 9th district.
John M. S. Williams
(Cambridge) 		Republican March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1875 		43rd Elected in 1872.
[data missing] 		1873–1883
"Ashland, Wards 22, 23, 25, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Dedham, Dover, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Sherborn, Southboro', Watertown, Wayland, and Weston."[8]

William W. Warren
(Boston) 		Democratic March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1877 		44th Elected in 1874.
Lost re-election.

William Claflin[9]
(Newton) 		Republican March 4, 1877 –
March 3, 1881 		45th
46th 		Elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Retired.

John W. Candler
(Brookline) 		Republican March 4, 1881 –
March 3, 1883 		47th Elected in 1880.
[data missing]

William A. Russell
(Lawrence) 		Republican March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1885 		48th Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1882.
[data missing] 		1883–1893

Charles H. Allen
(Lowell) 		Republican March 4, 1885 –
March 3, 1889 		49th
50th 		Elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Retired.

Frederic T. Greenhalge
(Lowell) 		Republican March 4, 1889 –
March 3, 1891 		51st Elected in 1888.
Lost re-election.

Moses T. Stevens
(North Andover) 		Democratic March 4, 1891 –
March 3, 1893 		52nd Elected in 1890.
Redistricted to the 5th district.

Samuel W. McCall[10][11]
(Winchester) 		Republican March 4, 1893 –
March 3, 1913 		53rd
54th
55th
56th
57th
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd 		Elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
[data missing] 		1893–1903
Arlington, Boston (Wards 9, 10, 11), Cambridge, Medford, Somerville, Winchester.[12]
1903–1913
Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Medford, Somerville, Winchester, Woburn.[13]

Frederick Simpson Deitrick
(Cambridge) 		Democratic March 4, 1913 –
March 3, 1915 		63rd Elected in 1912.
[data missing] 		1913–1933
Middlesex County: Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Lexington, Medford, Melrose, Stoneham, Wakefield, Watertown, Winchester.[14][15]

Frederick W. Dallinger
(Cambridge) 		Republican March 4, 1915 –
March 3, 1925 		64th
65th
66th
67th
68th 		Elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Re-elected in 1918.
Re-elected in 1920.
Re-elected in 1922.
[data missing]

Harry I. Thayer
(Wakefield) 		Republican March 4, 1925 –
March 10, 1926 		69th Elected in 1924.
Died.
Vacant March 10, 1926 –
November 2, 1926

Frederick W. Dallinger
(Cambridge) 		Republican November 2, 1926 –
October 1, 1932 		69th
70th
71st
72nd 		Elected to finish Thayer's term and elected to the next term.
Re-elected in 1928.
Re-elected in 1930.
Resigned to become judge of United States Customs Court.
Vacant October 1, 1932 –
March 3, 1933 		72nd

Arthur D. Healey[16]
(Somerville) 		Democratic March 4, 1933 –
August 3, 1942 		73rd
74th
75th
76th
77th 		Elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Resigned to become judge of US District Court for Massachusetts. 		1933–1943
Cambridge (Wards 2, 3), Everett, Malden, Medford, Somerville.[13]
Vacant August 3, 1942 –
January 3, 1943 		77th

Angier Goodwin
(Melrose) 		Republican January 3, 1943 –
January 3, 1955 		78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd
83rd 		Elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Re-elected in 1952.
Lost re-election. 		1943–1953
Everett, Lynnfield, Malden, Medford, Melrose, N. Reading, Reading, Saugus, Somerville (Wards 4, 5, 6, 7), Stoneham, Wakefield.[13][17]
1953–1963
[data missing]

Torbert H. Macdonald
(Malden) 		Democratic January 3, 1955 –
January 3, 1963 		84th
85th
86th
87th 		Elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Redistricted to 7th district.

Tip O'Neill[18]
(Cambridge) 		Democratic January 3, 1963 –
January 3, 1987 		88th
89th
90th
91st
92nd
93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th
98th
99th 		Redistricted from the 11th district and re-elected in 1962.
Re-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.
Retired. 		1963–1973
Boston (Wards 1, 2, 3, 21, 22), Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville.[13][19]
1973–1983
Arlington, Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 5, 21, 22), Cambridge, Somerville, Watertown.[13][20]
1983–1993
Arlington, Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, 21, 22), Cambridge, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown.[13][21]

Joe Kennedy II[22]
(Boston) 		Democratic January 3, 1987 –
January 3, 1999 		100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th 		Elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Retired.
1993–2003
Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22), Cambridge, Chelsea, Somerville, Watertown.[13]

Mike Capuano
(Somerville) 		Democratic January 3, 1999 –
January 3, 2013 		106th
107th
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th 		Elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Redistricted to the 7th district.
2003–2013

In Middlesex County: Cambridge, and Somerville. In Suffolk County: Boston, Wards 1, 2, Ward 3, Precincts 1–4, 7, 8, Ward 4, Ward 5, Precincts 1, 2, 6–10, Ward 7, Precinct 10, Wards 8–12, Ward 13, Precincts 1, 2, 4–6, Ward 14, Ward 15, Precincts 1–5, 7–9, Ward 16, Precincts 1, 3, Ward 17, Precincts 1–3, 5–12; Ward 18, Precincts 1–8, 13–15, 21, Ward 19, Precincts 1, 3–6, 8, 9, Wards 21 and 22, (the remainder of Boston is in the 9th district), and Chelsea.

Stephen Lynch
(Boston) 		Democratic January 3, 2013 –
present 		113th
114th
115th
116th
117th
118th 		Redistricted from the 9th district and re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022. 		2013–2023

In Bristol County: Precincts 1 and 2 in Raynham.

In Norfolk County: Avon, Braintree, Canton, Cohasset, Dedham, Holbrook, Milton:Precincts 2–4, and 6–9, Norwood, Quincy, Randolph, Stoughton, Walpole, Westwood, and Weymouth.

In Plymouth County: Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Hingham, Hull, Scituate, West Bridgewater, and Whitman.

In Suffolk County: Boston, Ward 3: Precincts 1–6; Ward 5: Precincts 3–5, 11; Ward 6, Ward 7: Precincts 1–9, Ward 11: Precincts 9 and 10, Ward 13: Precincts 3, 7, and 10, Ward 16: Precincts 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 12, Ward 19: Precincts 1–6, 8, and 9, and Ward 20: Precincts 1, 2, and 4–20.

2023–present

Recent election results

[edit]
2006 General election[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Capuano 125,167 90.65%
Socialist Workers Laura Garza 12,390 8.99%
Majority 113,066 81.66%
Turnout 137,557 21.81%
Democratic hold


2008 General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mike Capuano (inc.) 185,530 98.55
Write-ins 2,722 1.45
Total votes 188,252 100.00
Democratic hold


2012 General election[24][25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen Lynch (incumbent) 263,999 76.1
Republican Joe Selvaggi 82,242 23.7
n/a Write-ins 570 0.2
Total votes 346,811 100.0
Democratic hold
2014 General election[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen Lynch (incumbent) 200,644 98.7
n/a Write-ins 2,707 1.3
Total votes 203,351 100.0
Democratic hold
2016 General election[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen Lynch (incumbent) 271,019 72.4
Republican William Burke 102,744 27.5
n/a Write-ins 502 0.1
Total votes 374,265 100.0
Democratic hold
2018 General election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen Lynch (incumbent) 259,159 98.4
Write-in 4,148 1.6
Total votes 263,307 100.0
Democratic hold
2020 General election[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen Lynch (incumbent) 310,940 80.7
Independent Jonathan D. Lott 72,060 18.7
Write-in 2,401 0.6
Total votes 385,401 100.0
Democratic hold
2022 General election[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stephen Lynch (incumbent) 189,987 69.7
Republican Robert Burke 82,126 30.1
Write-in 451 0.2
Total votes 272,564 100.0
Democratic hold

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Congressional District 8 (118th Congress), Massachusetts". 2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau.
  2. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  3. ^ "The Commonwealth of Massachusetts 2011 Congressional Districts (Chapter 177 of the Acts of 2011" (PDF). Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  4. ^ John Hayward (1849). "Congressional Districts". Gazetteer of Massachusetts. Boston: J.P. Jewett & Co. hdl:2027/mdp.39015078325076.
  5. ^ "Congressional Districts". Massachusetts Register 1862. Boston: Adams, Sampson, & Co. 1862.
  6. ^ "Massachusetts". Congressional Directory for the Second Session of the Thirty-Seventh Congress. Washington DC: House of Representatives. 1861.
  7. ^ Ben. Perley Poore (1869). "Massachusetts". Congressional Directory for the First Session of the Forty-First Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/nyp.33433081796686.
  8. ^ "Congressional Districts of Massachusetts". Massachusetts Register and Business Directory, 1878. Boston: Sampson, Davenport, and Co.
  9. ^ Ben. Perley Poore (1878). "Massachusetts". Congressional Directory: 45th Congress (3rd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office.
  10. ^ L.A. Coolidge (1897). "Massachusetts". Official Congressional Directory: Fifty-Fifth Congress. Washington DC: Government Printing Office.
  11. ^ A.J. Halford (1909). "Massachusetts". Congressional Directory: 60th Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office.
  12. ^ Francis M. Cox (1893). "Massachusetts". Official Congressional Directory: Fifty-Third Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office. hdl:2027/mdp.39015022758133.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g "Geographical History of the 7th District". U.S. Congressman Michael E. Capuano. Washington DC: U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved November 23, 2013. (Includes geographical history of Massachusetts's 8th congressional district, pre-2013)
  14. ^ "Massachusetts". Official Congressional Directory: 64th Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1916. hdl:2027/uc1.l0075858456.
  15. ^ Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1921), "Population of Congressional Districts", Population of Massachusetts as determined by the fourteenth census of the United States 1920, Boston: Wright & Potter, hdl:2027/nnc1.cu56182970
  16. ^ "Massachusetts". Official Congressional Directory: 75th Congress (2nd ed.). Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1938.
  17. ^ Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1941), "Population of Congressional Districts", Population of Massachusetts as determined by the sixteenth census of the United States, 1940, Boston: Wright & Potter, OCLC 10056477, House No. 2849
  18. ^ "Massachusetts". Official Congressional Directory: 90th Congress. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1968.
  19. ^ "Massachusetts". Official Congressional Directory: 88th Congress. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1963. hdl:2027/mdp.39015071164118.
  20. ^ "Massachusetts", 1977 Official Congressional Directory: 95th Congress, Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1977, hdl:2027/uc1.31158002391372
  21. ^ "Massachusetts". 1985–1986 Official Congressional Directory: 99th Congress. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1985. hdl:2027/uc1.31158013115752.
  22. ^ "Massachusetts". 1991–1992 Official Congressional Directory: 102nd Congress. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1991.
  23. ^ "Our Campaigns - MA - District 08 Race - Nov 07, 2006". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved August 27, 2020.
  24. ^ "2012 U.S. House Results".
  25. ^ The totals do not include Blank/Scattered Ballots although they were reported.
  26. ^ "2014 U.S. House Results".
  27. ^ "Massachusetts Secretary of State General Election Results 2016". Massachusetts Secretary of State. November 8, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  28. ^ "2020 - US House - All General Election Results". Massachusetts Election Statistics. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  29. ^ "2022 U.S. House General Election - 8th Congressional District". Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
[edit]
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Maps

[edit]

Election results

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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Home district of the speaker
January 4, 1977 – January 3, 1987 		Succeeded by

42°11′41″N 70°56′38″W / 42.19472°N 70.94389°W / 42.19472; -70.94389

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