# Indiana's 7th congressional district

Indiana's 7th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Indiana. It is entirely located within Marion County and includes most of Indianapolis, except for the southern side, which is located within the 6th district.
The district is currently represented by Democrat André Carson, who won a special election in 2008 to succeed his grandmother Julia Carson following her death in 2007. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+19, it is the most Democratic district in Indiana.
The district is one of three to be represented by a Muslim in the United States, the others being Michigan's 12th, represented by Rashida Tlaib; and Minnesota's 5th, represented by Ilhan Omar.
From 1967 to 2003, the district served a completely different area of Indiana, covering Fountain, Parke, Tippecanoe, Montgomery, Clinton, Boone, Hendricks, Vigo, Clay, Putnam, and Owen counties and parts of Morgan and Hamilton counties. It had a dramatically different political history from the current 7th; it was a mostly rural area anchored by Terre Haute and Lafayette, and was heavily Republican.
After the loss of a congressional seat in 2000 by virtue of that year's census, an ambitious redistricting plan was implemented in 2002. As mentioned above, most of the old 10th became the new 7th, while the territory of the old 7th was split into the 4th and 8th districts.
This district and its predecessors have not elected a Republican since 1972, and it is considered a safe Democratic seat.

## Composition

| # | County | Seat | Population |
| 97 | Marion | Indianapolis | 969,466 |
As of 2023, Indiana's 7th congressional district is located entirely in Marion County, covering the capital Indianapolis, except for the southernmost townships of the county.
Marion County is split between this district and the 6th district. They are partitioned by E Troy Avenue. The 7th district encompasses the cities of Indianapolis and Lawrence, and the surrounding six townships of Pike, Washington, Lawrence, Warren, Center, and Wayne, and part of the city of Beech Grove.

### Cities of 10,000 people or more

* Indianapolis – 887,642
* Lawrence – 49,370
* Beech Grove – 14,717
* Speedway – 13,952

### 2,500 – 10,000 people

* Cumberland – 5,954

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | Obama 68% - 31% |
| 2012 | President | Obama 67% - 33% |
| 2016 | President | Clinton 65% - 29% |
| 2016 | Senate | Bayh 64% - 30% |
| 2016 | Governor | Gregg 68% - 30% |
| 2016 | Attorney General | Arredondo 62% - 38% |
| 2018 | Senate | Donnelly 70% - 26% |
| 2020 | President | Biden 70% - 28% |
| 2020 | Governor | Myers 58% - 35% |
| 2020 | Attorney General | Weinzapfel 70% - 30% |
| 2022 | Senate | McDermott Jr. 68% - 29% |
| 2024 | President | Harris 70% - 28% |

## History

The current area of the 7th District is largely the same as what had been the 10th District from 1983 to 2003. It includes all of Center Township, now widely regarded as a Democratic stronghold due to its large African American population and gentrified middle class.
Traditionally, the city and the district have been more competitive and much more Republican. For years Indianapolis was one of the most Republican metropolitan areas in the country, particularly during the years when Richard Lugar and William H. Hudnut III served as Mayor of Indianapolis. However, in recent decades, much of the affluence of the city has begun to migrate to the edges of the city and outer Marion County, which has resulted in the Democratic lean. The southern portion of Marion County, which tilts more Republican, is not included in the district.
The southern and eastern parts of the district include the more modest neighborhoods of the city, which is home to Amtrak's largest repair yard. Since the late 1990s, there has been an influx of Mexican and Hispanic workers to the district, which has further increased its Democratic leanings. Also, as the industrial and financial center of Indiana, the district has been strongly influenced by the politics of the unions in the past; however, their influence over the district has become increasingly marginal in recent years.

## List of members representing the district

| Member | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District created March 4, 1833 |||||
| Edward A. Hannegan (Covington) | Jacksonian | March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837 | 23rd 24th | Elected in 1833. Re-elected in 1835. Retired. |
| Albert S. White (Lafayette) | Whig | March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839 | 25th | Elected in 1837. Retired to run for U.S. senator. |
| Tilghman Howard (Rockville) | Democratic | March 3, 1839 – July 1, 1840 | 26th | Elected in 1839. Resigned. |
| Vacant | Vacant | July 1, 1840 – August 3, 1840 | 26th | |
| Henry S. Lane (Crawfordsville) | Whig | August 3, 1840 – March 3, 1843 | 26th 27th | Elected to finish Howard's term. Re-elected in 1841. Retired. |
| Joseph A. Wright (Rockville) | Democratic | March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845 | 28th | Elected in 1843. Lost re-election. |
| Edward W. McGaughey (Greencastle) | Whig | March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847 | 29th | Elected in 1845. Lost renomination. |
| Richard W. Thompson (Terre Haute) | Whig | March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849 | 30th | Elected in 1847. Renominated but declined to run. |
| Edward W. McGaughey (Rockville) | Whig | March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851 | 31st | Elected in 1849. Lost re-election. |
| John G. Davis (Rockville) | Democratic | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1855 | 32nd 33rd | Elected in 1851. Re-elected in 1852. Lost re-election. |
| Harvey D. Scott (Terre Haute) | People's | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 | 34th | Elected in 1854. Retired. |
| John G. Davis (Rockville) | Anti-Lecompton Democratic | March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1861 | 35th 36th | Elected in 1856. Re-elected in 1858. Retired. |
| Daniel W. Voorhees (Terre Haute) | Democratic | March 4, 1861 – February 23, 1866 | 37th 38th 39th | Elected in 1860. Re-elected in 1862. Lost contested election. |
| Henry D. Washburn (Clinton) | Republican | February 23, 1866 – March 3, 1869 | 39th 40th | Won contested election. Re-elected in 1866. Retired. |
| Godlove S. Orth (Lafayette) | Republican | March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871 | 41st | Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1868. Retired. |
| Mahlon D. Manson (Crawfordsville) | Democratic | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873 | 42nd | Elected in 1870. Lost re-election. |
| Thomas J. Cason (Lebanon) | Republican | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 | 43rd | Elected in 1872. Redistricted to the 9th district. |
| Franklin Landers (Indianapolis) | Democratic | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 | 44th | Elected in 1874. Lost re-election. |
| John Hanna (Indianapolis) | Republican | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879 | 45th | Elected in 1876. Lost re-election. |
| Gilbert De La Matyr (Indianapolis) | Greenback | March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881 | 46th | Elected in 1878. Lost re-election. |
| Stanton J. Peelle (Indianapolis) | Republican | March 4, 1881 – May 22, 1884 | 47th 48th | Elected in 1880. Lost contested election. |
| William E. English (Indianapolis) | Democratic | May 22, 1884 – March 3, 1885 | 48th | Won contested election. Retired. |
| William D. Bynum (Indianapolis) | Democratic | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1895 | 49th 50th 51st 52nd 53rd | Elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Lost re-election. |
| Charles L. Henry (Anderson) | Republican | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897 | 54th | Elected in 1894. Redistricted to the 8th district. |
| Jesse Overstreet (Indianapolis) | Republican | March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1909 | 55th 56th 57th 58th 59th 60th | Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Lost re-election. |
| Charles A. Korbly (Indianapolis) | Democratic | March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1915 | 61st 62nd 63rd | Elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Lost re-election. |
| Merrill Moores (Indianapolis) | 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. Lost renomination. |
| Ralph E. Updike (Indianapolis) | Republican | March 4, 1925 – March 3, 1929 | 69th 70th | Elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Lost re-election. |
| Louis Ludlow (Indianapolis) | Democratic | March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1933 | 71st 72nd | Elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Redistricted to the 12th district. |
| Arthur H. Greenwood (Washington) | Democratic | March 3, 1933 – January 3, 1939 | 73rd 74th 75th | Redistricted from the 2nd district and re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Lost re-election. |
| Gerald W. Landis (Linton) | Republican | January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1949 | 76th 77th 78th 79th 80th | Elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Lost re-election. |
| James E. Noland (Bloomington) | Democratic | January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1951 | 81st | Elected in 1948. Lost re-election. |
| William G. Bray (Martinsville) | Republican | January 3, 1951 – January 3, 1967 | 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th | Elected in 1950. 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. Redistricted to the 6th district. |
| John T. Myers (Covington) | Republican | January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1997 | 90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th | 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. Re-elected in 1992 Re-elected in 1994. Retired. |
| Edward A. Pease (Terre Haute) | Republican | January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2001 | 105th 106th | Elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Retired. |
| Brian D. Kerns (Prairieton) | Republican | January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2003 | 107th | Elected in 2000. Redistricted to the 4th district and lost renomination. |
| Julia Carson (Indianapolis) | Democratic | January 3, 2003 – December 15, 2007 | 108th 109th 110th | Redistricted from the 10th district and re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Died. |
| Vacant | Vacant | December 15, 2007 – March 11, 2008 | 110th | |
| André Carson (Indianapolis) | Democratic | March 11, 2008 – present | 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected to finish his grandmother's term. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. |

## Recent election results
### 2002

Indiana's 7th Congressional District election (2002) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Julia Carson | 77,478 | 53.13% |
| | Republican | Ambrose McVey | 64,379 | 44.14% |
| | Libertarian | Andrew Horning | 3,919 | 2.69% |
| | No party | Others | 64 | 0.04% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 145,840 | 100.00% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2004

Indiana's 7th Congressional District election (2004) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Julia Carson (incumbent) | 121,303 | 54.35% |
| | Republican | Andrew Horning | 97,491 | 43.68% |
| | Libertarian | Barry Campbell | 4,381 | 1.96% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 223,175 | 100.00% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2006

Indiana's 7th Congressional District election (2006) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Julia Carson (incumbent) | 74,750 | 53.76% |
| | Republican | Eric Dickerson | 64,304 | 46.24% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 139,054 | 100.00% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2008

Indiana's 7th Congressional District special election (March 11, 2008) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | André Carson | 45,668 | 54.04% |
| | Republican | Jonathan Elrod | 36,415 | 43.09% |
| | Libertarian | Sean Sheppard | 2,430 | 2.88% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 84,513 | 100.00% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |
Indiana's 7th Congressional District general election (2008) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | André Carson (incumbent) | 172,650 | 65.08% |
| | Republican | Gabrielle Campo | 92,645 | 34.92% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 265,295 | 100.00% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2010

Indiana's 7th Congressional District election (2010) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | André Carson (incumbent) | 86,011 | 58.90% |
| | Republican | Marvin B. Scott | 55,213 | 37.81% |
| | Libertarian | Dav Wilson | 4,815 | 3.30% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 146,039 | 100.00% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2012

Indiana's 7th Congressional District election (2012) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | André Carson (incumbent) | 162,122 | 62.85% |
| | Republican | Carlos May | 95,828 | 37.15% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 257,950 | 100.00% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2014

Indiana's 7th Congressional District election (2014) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Andre Carson (incumbent) | 61,443 | 54.73% |
| | Republican | Catherine Ping | 46,887 | 41.77% |
| | Libertarian | Chris Mayo | 3,931 | 3.50% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 112,261 | 100.00% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2016

Indiana's 7th Congressional District election (2016) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | André Carson (incumbent) | 158,739 | 59.98% |
| | Republican | Catherine Ping | 94,456 | 35.69% |
| | Libertarian | Drew Thompson | 11,475 | 4.34% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 264,670 | 100.00% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2018

Indiana's 7th Congressional District election (2018) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | André Carson (incumbent) | 141,139 | 64.9% |
| | Republican | Wayne Harmon | 76,457 | 35.1% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 217,596 | 100.0% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2020

Indiana's 7th Congressional District election (2020) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | André Carson (incumbent) | 176,422 | 62.4% |
| | Republican | Susan Marie Smith | 106,146 | 37.6% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 282,568 | 100.0% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |