# Florida's 2nd congressional district

Florida's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida. The district consists of the eastern part of the Florida Panhandle along with much of the Big Bend region along the Emerald Coast. It straddles both the Eastern and Central time zones. It includes Tallahassee, the state capital, and Panama City. With 49% of its residents living in rural areas, it is the least urbanized district in the state, and the voters are generally conservative. The district is represented by Republican Neal Dunn of Panama City.

## Characteristics

Florida's 2nd Congressional District is the largest congressional district in Florida by land area and consists of all of Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, Wakulla, and Washington counties, as well as portions of Walton and Lafayette.
Most of the territory now in the 2nd was the 9th District from 1963 to 1983; it has been the 2nd since 1983. For most of its existence, the 2nd and its predecessors were centered in Tallahassee, the state capital and county seat of Leon County. While the adjacent 1st and 3rd congressional districts had become the most conservative districts in the state by the 1990s, the 2nd District was historically more of a swing district. With a large population of students, government workers and university faculty, Tallahassee was far more liberal than the rest of the district. Democrat Barack Obama received 62 percent of the Leon County vote in the 2008 presidential election, but Republican John McCain received 54 percent of the 2nd district's vote overall. The district had become somewhat friendlier to Republicans when conservative-leaning Panama City was shifted from the 1st District.
The district was significantly redrawn in a court-ordered redistricting that took effect for the 2016 election, following a lawsuit that challenged the district as gerrymandered, preventing African Americans from being able to elect representatives of their choice although they comprised a significant part of the population in the state. Under the new map, most of Tallahassee, along with nearly all of the 2nd's black residents, were drawn into the 5th District.
To make up for the loss in population, the 2nd was shifted slightly to the south to take in territory previously in the nearby 3rd and 11th districts. On paper, the new 2nd was more than 12 points more Republican than its predecessor. Mitt Romney had carried the old 2nd in 2012 although he received only 52 percent of the vote. By comparison, Romney would have carried the new 2nd with 64 percent of the vote in 2012, making it on paper the third-most Republican district in the state.

## Voting
### Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | McCain 53% - 46% |
| 2010 | Senate | Rubio 50% - 21% |
| 2010 | Governor | Sink 53% - 47% |
| 2010 | Attorney General | Bondi 50% - 41% |
| 2010 | Chief Financial Officer | Atwater 48% - 47% |
| 2012 | President | Romney 54% - 46% |
| 2012 | Senate | Nelson 55% - 45% |
| 2014 | Governor | Scott 53% - 47% |
| 2016 | President | Trump 54% - 42% |
| 2016 | Senate | Rubio 55% - 41% |
| 2018 | Senate | Scott 53% - 47% |
| 2018 | Governor | DeSantis 53% - 46% |
| 2018 | Attorney General | Moody 55% - 43% |
| 2018 | Chief Financial Officer | Patronis 57% - 43% |
| 2020 | President | Trump 55% - 44% |
| 2022 | Senate | Rubio 60% - 39% |
| 2022 | Governor | DeSantis 62% - 38% |
| 2022 | Attorney General | Moody 64% - 36% |
| 2022 | Chief Financial Officer | Patronis 64% - 36% |
| 2024 | President | Trump 58% - 40% |
| 2024 | Senate | Scott 60% - 38% |

### Voter registration

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of February 20, 2024 :
| Party | Voters | Percentage |
| Republican | 218,080 | 42.98% |
| Democratic | 187,805 | 37.01% |
| No Party Affiliation | 84,548 | 17.90% |

## Composition

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:
Bay County (13)
    All 13 communities
Calhoun County (2)
    Altha, Blountstown
Franklin County (4)
    All 4 communities
Gadsden County (6)
    All 6 communities
Gadsden County (2)
    Port St. Joe, Wewahitchka
Holmes County (5)
    All 5 communities
Jackson County (11)
    All 11 communities
Jefferson County (6)
    All 6 communities
Lafayette County (1)
    Day (part; also 3rd)
Leon County (7)
    All 7 communities
Liberty County (4)
    All 4 communities
Madison County (3)
    All 3 communities
Taylor County (2)
    Perry, Steinhatchee
Wakulla County (4)
    All 4 communities
Walton County (1)
    DeFuniak Springs
Washington County (5)
    All 5 communities

## List of members representing the district

| Representative | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District created March 4, 1875 |||||
| Josiah T. Walls (Gainesville) | Republican | March 4, 1875 – April 19, 1876 | 44th | Redistricted from the at-large district. Lost contested election |
| Jesse J. Finley (Jacksonville) | Democratic | April 19, 1876 – March 3, 1877 | 44th | Won contested election. [data missing] |
| Horatio Bisbee Jr. (Jacksonville) | Republican | March 4, 1877 – February 20, 1879 | 45th | Lost contested election. |
| Jesse J. Finley (Jacksonville) | Democratic | February 20, 1879 – March 3, 1879 | 45th | Won contested election. [data missing] |
| Noble A. Hull (Sanford) | Democratic | March 4, 1879 – January 22, 1881 | 46th | Lost contested election |
| Horatio Bisbee Jr. (Jacksonville) | Republican | January 22, 1881 – March 3, 1881 | 46th | Won contested election. [data missing] |
| Jesse J. Finley (Jacksonville) | Democratic | March 4, 1881 – June 1, 1882 | 47th | Lost contested election |
| Horatio Bisbee Jr. (Jacksonville) | Republican | June 1, 1882 – March 3, 1885 | 47th 48th | Won contested election. Re-elected in 1882. [data missing] |
| Charles Dougherty (Port Orange) | Democratic | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889 | 49th 50th | Elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. [data missing] |
| Robert Bullock (Ocala) | Democratic | March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1893 | 51st 52nd | Elected in 1888. Re-elected in 1890. [data missing] |
| Charles M. Cooper (Jacksonville) | Democratic | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1897 | 53rd 54th | Elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. [data missing] |
| Robert W. Davis (Palatka) | Democratic | March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1905 | 55th 56th 57th 58th | Elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. [data missing] |
| Frank Clark (Gainesville) | Democratic | March 4, 1905 – March 3, 1925 | 59th 60th 61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th 66th 67th 68th | 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. Re-elected in 1922. [data missing] |
| Robert A. Green (Starke) | Democratic | March 4, 1925 – January 3, 1943 | 69th 70th 71st 72nd 73rd 74th 75th 76th 77th | Elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Redistricted to the at-large district. |
| Emory H. Price (Jacksonville) | Democratic | January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1949 | 78th 79th 80th | Elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. [data missing] |
| Charles E. Bennett (Jacksonville) | Democratic | January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1967 | 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th | 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. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Redistricted to the 3rd district. |
| Don Fuqua (Altha) | Democratic | January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1987 | 90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th | Redistricted from the 9th district and 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. [data missing] |
| James W. Grant (Madison) | Democratic | January 3, 1987 – February 21, 1989 | 100th 101st | Elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Lost re-election. |
| James W. Grant (Madison) | Republican | February 21, 1989 – January 3, 1991 | 101st | Elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Lost re-election. |
| Pete Peterson (Marianna) | Democratic | January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1997 | 102nd 103rd 104th | Elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Retired. |
| Allen Boyd (Monticello) | Democratic | January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2011 | 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th | Elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Lost re-election. |
| Steve Southerland (Panama City) | Republican | January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2015 | 112th 113th | Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Lost re-election. |
| Gwen Graham (Tallahassee) | Democratic | January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017 | 114th | Elected in 2014. Retired due to redistricting. |
| Neal Dunn (Panama City) | Republican | January 3, 2017 – present | 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. |

## Election results
### 2002

Florida's 2nd Congressional District Election (2002) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Allen Boyd* | 152,164 | 67% |
| | Republican | Tom McGurk | 75,275 | 33% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 227,439 | 100% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2004

Florida's 2nd Congressional District Election (2004) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Allen Boyd* | 201,577 | 62% |
| | Republican | Bev Kilmer | 125,399 | 38% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 326,976 | 100% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2006

Florida's 2nd Congressional District Election (2006) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Allen Boyd* | | 100% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | | 100% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2008

Florida's 2nd Congressional District Election (2008) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Allen Boyd* | 216,804 | 62% |
| | Republican | Mark Mulligan | 133,404 | 38% |
| | No party | Others | 159 | 0.05 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 350,367 | 100% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2010

Florida's 2nd Congressional District Election (2010) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Steve Southerland | 136,371 | 54% |
| | Democratic | Allen Boyd* | 105,211 | 41% |
| | Independent | Paul Crandall McKain | 7,135 | 3% |
| | Independent | Dianne J. Berryhill | 5,705 | 2% |
| | No party | Others | 16 | 0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 254,438 | 100% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2012

Florida's 2nd Congressional District Election (2012) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Steve Southerland* | 175,856 | 53% |
| | Democratic | Alfred Lawson, Jr. | 157,634 | 47% |
| | No party | Floyd Patrick Miller | 228 | 0.01 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 333,718 | 100% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2014

Florida's 2nd Congressional District Election, (2014) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Gwen Graham | 126,096 | 50.5% |
| | Republican | Steve Southerland* | 123,262 | 49.3% |
| | Write-in | Luther Lee | 422 | 0.2% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 249,780 | 100% |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |

### 2016

Florida's 2nd Congressional District Election (2016) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Neal Dunn | 231,163 | 67% |
| | Democratic | Walter Dartland | 102,801 | 30% |
| | Libertarian | Rob Lapham | 9,395 | 3% |
| | No party | Others | 3 | 0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 343,362 | 100% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2018

Florida's 2nd Congressional District Election (2018) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Neal Dunn (Incumbent) | 199,335 | 67.4% |
| | Democratic | Bob Rackleff | 96,233 | 32.6% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 295,568 | 100% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2020

2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Neal Dunn (incumbent) | 305,337 | 97.86% |
| | Independent | Kim O'Connor (write-in) | 6,662 | 2.14% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 311,999 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2022

2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Neal Dunn (incumbent) | 180,236 | 59.8% |
| | Democratic | Al Lawson (incumbent) | 121,153 | 40.2% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 301,389 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## Historical district boundaries

* 2003–2013
* 2013–2017
* 2017–2023