# Iowa's 7th congressional district

Iowa's 7th congressional district is a former congressional district in Iowa. It was eliminated after the 1970 election, leaving Iowa with six congressional districts. The state has since been reduced to four congressional districts.

## Redistricting

The 7th District was reformed for the 1932 election and Iowa dropped its 10th and 11th districts. Cassius C. Dowell ran for and won the 6th Congressional District, while Otha D. Wearin took over the 7th Congressional District. The district was eliminated as a result of the 1970 census. All of the district was then put in the 5th congressional district, with the exception of Crawford and Monona counties which were put in the 6th district.

## List of members representing the district

| Member | Party | Term | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District created March 4, 1873 |||||
| John A. Kasson (Des Moines) | Republican | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1877 | 43rd 44th | Elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874. Retired. |
| Henry J. B. Cummings (Winterset) | Republican | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879 | 45th | Elected in 1876. Lost re-election. |
| Edward H. Gillette (Des Moines) | Greenback | March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881 | 46th | Elected in 1878. Lost re-election. |
| John A. Kasson (Des Moines) | Republican | March 4, 1881 – July 13, 1884 | 47th 48th | Elected in 1880. Re-elected in 1882. Resigned when appointed US Ambassador to Germany. |
| Vacant | Vacant | July 13, 1884 – December 2, 1884 | 48th | |
| Hiram Y. Smith (Des Moines) | Republican | December 2, 1884 – March 3, 1885 | 48th | Elected to finish Kasson's term. Retired. |
| Edwin H. Conger (Des Moines) | Republican | March 4, 1885 – October 3, 1890 | 49th 50th 51st | Elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Resigned when appointed US Ambassador to Brazil. |
| Vacant | Vacant | October 3, 1890 – November 4, 1890 | 51st | |
| Edward R. Hays (Knoxville) | Republican | November 4, 1890 – March 3, 1891 | 51st | Elected to finish Conger's term. Retired. |
| John A. T. Hull (Des Moines) | Republican | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1911 | 52nd 53rd 54th 55th 56th 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st | Elected in 1890. Re-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. Lost renomination. |
| Solomon F. Prouty (Des Moines) | Republican | March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1915 | 62nd 63rd | Elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. Retired. |
| Cassius C. Dowell (Des Moines) | Republican | March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1933 | 64th 65th 66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd | Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Redistricted to the 6th district. |
| Otha Wearin (Hastings) | Democratic | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1939 | 73rd 74th 75th | Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| Ben F. Jensen (Exira) | Republican | January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1965 | 76th 77th 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th | Elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-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. Re-elected in 1962. Lost re-election. |
| John R. Hansen (Manning) | Democratic | January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1967 | 89th | Elected in 1964. Lost re-election. |
| William J. Scherle (Henderson) | Republican | January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1973 | 90th 91st 92nd | Elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Redistricted to the 5th district. |
| District eliminated January 3, 1973 |||||

## Election history

| Year | Party affiliation | Winner | Number of votes | Party affiliation | Loser | Number of votes | Percentage of votes |
| 1920 | Republican | Cassius C. Dowell | 41,644 | Socialist | Charles Gay | 1,272 | 97% - 3% |
| 1922 | Republican | Cassius C. Dowell | 34,012 | Democrat | Winfred E. Robb | 19,987 | 62% - 36% |
| 1924 | Republican | Cassius C. Dowell | 66,550 | Democrat | William M. Wade | 18,454 | 78% - 22% |
| 1926 | Republican | Cassius C. Dowell | 34,159 | Democrat | William M. Wade | 10,255 | 77% - 23% |
| 1928 | Republican | Cassius C. Dowell | 72,404 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 100% - 0% |
| 1930 | Republican | Cassius C. Dowell | 36,715 | Democrat | Carl Evans | 11,372 | 76% - 24% |
| 1932 | Democrat | Otha D. Wearin | 57,803 | Republican | Charles Edward Swanson | 44,925 | 56% - 43% |
| 1934 | Democrat | Otha D. Wearin | 51,395 | Republican | Charles Edward Swanson | 47,508 | 52% - 48% |
| 1936 | Democrat | Otha D. Wearin | 61,398 | Republican | Henry K. Peterson | 59,834 | 50% - 49% |
| 1938 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 54,922 | Democrat | Roger F. Warin | 37,992 | 59% - 41% |
| 1940 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 71,633 | Democrat | Ernest M. Miller | 50,644 | 59% - 41% |
| 1942 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 49,086 | Democrat | Jess Alton | 27,409 | 64% - 36% |
| 1944 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 66,905 | Democrat | Albert McGinn | 41,802 | 62% - 38% |
| 1946 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 40,152 | Democrat | Philip A. Allen | 23,567 | 63% - 37% |
| 1948 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 59,173 | Democrat | W. A. Byers | 44,857 | 57% - 43% |
| 1950 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 55,291 | Democrat | James A. Hart | 33,617 | 62% - 38% |
| 1952 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 82,462 | Democrat | Thomas J. Keleher | 39,999 | 67% - 33% |
| 1954 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 51,022 | Democrat | Elmer G. Carlson | 33,492 | 60% - 40% |
| 1956 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 64,967 | Democrat | John L. Jensen | 52,389 | 55% - 45% |
| 1958 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 41,053 | Democrat | Ellsworth O. Hays | 38,660 | 52% - 48% |
| 1960 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 66,037 | Democrat | Duane Orton | 52,214 | 56% - 44% |
| 1962 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 56,341 | Democrat | Ed Peters | 44,171 | 56% - 44% |
| 1964 | Democrat | John R. Hansen | 78,243 | Republican | Ben F. Jensen | 67,942 | 54% - 46% |
| 1966 | Republican | William J. Scherle | 64,217 | Democrat | John R. Hansen | 44,529 | 59% - 41% |
| 1968 | Republican | William J. Scherle | 64,217 | Democrat | Richard C. Oshlo | 44,529 | 48% - 33% |
| 1970 | Republican | William J. Scherle | 53,084 | Democrat | Lou Galetich | 31,552 | 63% - 37% |