# Mississippi's 5th congressional district

Mississippi's 5th congressional district existed from 1855 to 2003. The state was granted a fifth representative by Congress following the 1850 census.
From 1853 to 1855, the fifth representative was elected at-large instead of by district, favoring majority voters. The district was abolished by the state legislature following the 2000 census, when the state lost a seat.

## Boundaries

Although the boundaries of the fifth congressional district were altered after every census, it covered the Gulf Coast region and most of the Pine Belt region in southeastern Mississippi from 1993 to 2003.
It included all of Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Lamar, Pearl River, Perry, and Stone counties as well as a portion of Wayne County.
After it was abolished, most of the fifth district was absorbed by the state's fourth congressional district.

## 2000 election

The district's last election took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Gene Taylor, who had represented the district since a special election in 1989, easily won re-election.
United States House election, 2000: Mississippi District 5 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Gene Taylor (incumbent) | 153,264 | 78.84 |
| | Republican | Randall "Randy" McDonnell | 35,309 | 18.16 |
| | Libertarian | Wayne Parker | 3,002 | 1.54 |
| | Reform | Katie Perrone | 2,820 | 1.45 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 194,395 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 117,955 | 60.68 |

## List of members representing the district

| Member | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District created March 4, 1855 |||||
| John A. Quitman (Natchez) | Democratic | March 4, 1855 – July 17, 1858 | 34th 35th | Elected in 1855. Re-elected in 1857. Died. |
| Vacant | Vacant | July 17, 1858 – December 7, 1858 | 35th | |
| John Jones McRae (State Line) | Democratic | December 7, 1858 – January 12, 1861 | 35th 36th | Elected to finish Quitman's term. Re-elected in 1859. Withdrew due to Civil War. |
| Vacant | Vacant | January 12, 1861 – February 23, 1870 | 36th 37th 38th 39th 40th 41st | Civil War and Reconstruction |
| Legrand Winfield Perce (Natchez) | Republican | February 23, 1870 – March 3, 1873 | 41st 42nd | Elected in 1869 to finish the term and to the next term. Retired. |
| George Colin McKee (Vicksburg) | Republican | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 | 43rd | Redistricted from the 4th district and re-elected in 1872. Retired. |
| Charles E. Hooker (Jackson) | Democratic | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1883 | 44th 45th 46th 47th | Elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Retired. |
| Otho Robards Singleton (Forest) | Democratic | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887 | 48th 49th | Redistricted from the 4th district and re-elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Retired. |
| Chapman L. Anderson (Kosciusko) | Democratic | March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1891 | 50th 51st | Elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Lost renomination. |
| Joseph Henry Beeman (Eley) | Democratic | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 | 52nd | Elected in 1890. Retired. |
| John Sharp Williams (Yazoo City) | Democratic | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1903 | 53rd 54th 55th 56th 57th | Elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Redistricted to the 8th district. |
| Adam M. Byrd (Philadelphia) | Democratic | March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1911 | 58th 59th 60th 61st | Elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Lost renomination. |
| Samuel Andrew Witherspoon (Meridian) | Democratic | March 4, 1911 – November 24, 1915 | 62nd 63rd 64th | Elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Died. |
| Vacant | Vacant | November 24, 1915 – January 4, 1916 | 64th | |
| William Webb Venable (Meridian) | Democratic | January 4, 1916 – March 3, 1921 | 64th 65th 66th | Elected to finish Witherspoon's term. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Lost renomination. |
| Ross A. Collins (Meridian) | Democratic | March 4, 1921 – January 3, 1935 | 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd 73rd | Elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Retired to run for U.S. senator. |
| Aubert C. Dunn (Meridian) | Democratic | January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1937 | 74th | Elected in 1934. Retired. |
| Ross A. Collins (Meridian) | Democratic | January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1943 | 75th 76th 77th | Elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Retired to run for U.S. senator. |
| W. Arthur Winstead (Philadelphia) | Democratic | January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1963 | 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th | 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. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Redistricted to the 4th district. |
| William M. Colmer (Pascagoula) | Democratic | January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1973 | 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd | Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Retired. |
| Trent Lott (Pascagoula) | Republican | January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1989 | 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th | 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. Retired to run for U.S. senator. |
| Larkin I. Smith (Long Beach) | Republican | January 3, 1989 – August 13, 1989 | 101st | Elected in 1988. Died. |
| Vacant | Vacant | August 13, 1989 – October 17, 1989 | 101st | |
| Gene Taylor (Bay St. Louis) | Democratic | October 17, 1989 – January 3, 2003 | 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th | Elected to finish Smith's term. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Redistricted to the 4th district. |
| District eliminated January 3, 2003 |||||