Massachusetts's 7th congressional district is a congressional district located in eastern Massachusetts, including roughly three-fourths of the city of Boston and a few of its northern and southern suburbs. The seat is currently held by Democrat Ayanna Pressley.
Due to redistricting after the 2010 census, the borders of the district were changed, with most of the old 7th district redistricted to the new 5th district,http://www.sec.state.ma.us/spr/sprcat/catpdf2010/cong2010/CongressionalDistrict_2011State.pdf Access date: March 21, 2012. and most of the old 8th district comprising the new 7th district. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+34, it is the most Democratic district in Massachusetts, a state with an all-Democratic congressional delegation.
According to The Boston Globe and the latest census data, approximately 33 percent of the population of the district were born outside of the United States, with approximately 34 percent of the population white, 26 percent African American, and 21 percent Latino.
In 2019, Ayanna Pressley became the first woman and person of color to represent the district as well as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in Congress.
Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results2008 PresidentObama 82% - 16% SenateKerry 86% - 14%2010 Senate (Spec.)Coakley 74% - 26% GovernorPatrick 74% - 20%2012 PresidentObama 84% - 16% SenateWarren 79% - 21%2014 SenateMarkey 85% - 15% GovernorCoakley 72% - 25%2016 PresidentClinton 83% - 12%2018 SenateWarren 85% - 13% GovernorGonzalez 57% - 43% Secretary of the CommonwealthGalvin 85% - 9% Attorney GeneralHealey 89% - 11% Treasurer and Receiver-GeneralGoldberg 85% - 11% AuditorBump 80% - 12%2020 PresidentBiden 85% - 13% SenateMarkey 86% - 13%2022 GovernorHealey 84% - 14% Secretary of the CommonwealthGalvin 83% - 12% Attorney GeneralCampbell 85% - 15% AuditorDiZoglio 74% - 17%2024 PresidentHarris 79% - 17% SenateWarren 82% - 18%
Cities and towns in the district For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of three counties and 7 municipalities:https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST25/CD118_MA07.pdf
Middlesex County (3)
Cambridge (part; also 5th), Everett, Somerville
Norfolk County (2)
Milton (part; also 8th), Randolph
Suffolk County (2)
Boston (part; also 8th), Chelsea
Cities and towns in the district prior to 2013 1790s-1830s
1840s 1849: "The whole of Berkshire County; Ashfield, Buckland, Charlemont, Coleraine, Conway, Hawley, Heath, Leyden, Monroe, Rowe, and Shelburne, in Franklin County; Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Middlefield, Norwich, Plainfield, Southampton, Westhampton, Williamsburg, and Worthington, in Hampshire County; and Blandford, Chester, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, and Tolland, in the County of Hampden."
1850s–1880s An act of the legislature passed April 22, 1852, divided the 7th district of Massachusetts as such: "The towns of Andover, Boxford, Bradford, Danvers, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lynnfield, Methuen, Middleton, Saugus, and Topsfield in the county of Essex; and the city of Charlestown, and the towns of Burlington, Lexington, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Reading, Somerville, South Reading, Stoneham, Waltham, and Woburn, in the county of Middlesex."
1890s
1893: "Essex County: Towns of Lynn, Nahant, and Saugus. Middlesex County: Towns of Everett, Malden, Melrose, Stoneham, and Wakefield. Suffolk County: 4th and 5th wards of the city of Boston, and the towns of Chelsea and Revere."
1910s 1916: In Essex County: Boxford, Lawrence, Lynn, Lynnfield, Middleton, Nahant, North Andover, Peabody, Saugus. In Middlesex County: North Reading.
1940s 1941: In Essex County: Lawrence, Lynn (part), Middleton, Nahant, North Andover, Peabody. In Suffolk County: Chelsea, Revere, Winthrop.
1950s-2002
2003-2013
In Middlesex County: Arlington Belmont Everett Framingham Lexington Lincoln Malden Medford Melrose Natick Stoneham Waltham Watertown Wayland: Precinct 2 Weston Winchester Woburn
In Suffolk County: Revere Winthrop
List of members representing the district Member Party Years Congress Electoral history District location District created March 4, 1789 George Leonard Pro-Administration March 4, 1789 –March 3, 1791 Elected in 1788.Redistricted to the . 1789–1793Bristol County, Dukes County, and Nantucket County Artemas Ward Pro-Administration March 4, 1791 –March 3, 1793 Elected in 1790.Redistricted to the . District inactive March 4, 1793 –March 3, 1795 George Leonard Federalist March 4, 1795 –March 3, 1797 Elected in 1795 on the fourth ballot.Retired. 1795–1803"3rd Southern district" Stephen Bullock Federalist March 4, 1797 –March 3, 1799 Elected in 1797 on the third ballot.Lost re-election. Phanuel Bishop Democratic-Republican March 4, 1799 –March 3, 1803 Elected in 1799 on the fourth ballot.Re-elected in 1800.Redistricted to the . Nahum Mitchell Federalist March 4, 1803 –March 3, 1805 Elected in 1802.Lost re-election. 1803–1815"Plymouth district" Joseph Barker Democratic-Republican March 4, 1805 –March 3, 1809 Elected in 1804.Re-elected in 1806.Retired. William Baylies Federalist March 4, 1809 –June 28, 1809 Elected in 1808.Lost election challenge. Charles Turner Jr. Democratic-Republican June 28, 1809 –March 3, 1813 Won election challenge.Re-elected in 1810.Lost re-election. William Baylies Federalist March 4, 1813 –March 3, 1815 Elected in 1812.Redistricted to the . John W. Hulbert Federalist March 4, 1815 –March 3, 1817 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1814.Retired. 1815–1823"Berkshire district" Henry Shaw Democratic-Republican March 4, 1817 –March 3, 1821 Elected in 1816.Re-elected in 1819 on the second ballot.Retired. Henry W. Dwight Federalist March 4, 1821 –March 3, 1823 Elected in 1820.Redistricted to the . Samuel C. Allen Federalist March 4, 1823 –March 3, 1825 Redistricted from the .Re-elected in 1825.Re-elected in 1826. 1823–1833"Franklin district" Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –March 3, 1829 George Grennell Jr. Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1829 –March 3, 1833 Elected in 1828.Re-elected in 1830.Redistricted to the . George N. Briggs Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –March 3, 1837 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1833.Re-elected in 1834.Re-elected in 1836.Re-elected in 1838.Re-elected in 1840.Retired. 1833–1843 Whig March 4, 1837 –March 3, 1843 Julius Rockwell Whig March 4, 1843 –March 3, 1851 Elected late on the sixth ballot in 1844.Re-elected in 1846.Re-elected in 1848. 1843–1853 John Z. Goodrich Whig March 4, 1851 –March 3, 1853 Elected in 1851.Redistricted to the . Nathaniel P. Banks Democratic March 4, 1853 –March 3, 1855 Elected in 1852.Re-elected in 1854.Re-elected in 1856.Resigned to become Governor of Massachusetts. 1853–1863 Know Nothing March 4, 1855 –March 3, 1857 Republican March 4, 1857 –December 24, 1857 Vacant December 24, 1857 –January 31, 1858 Daniel W. Gooch Republican January 31, 1858 –March 3, 1863 Elected to finish Banks's term.Re-elected in 1858.Re-elected in 1860.Redistricted to the . George S. Boutwell Republican March 4, 1863 –March 12, 1869 Elected in 1862.Re-elected in 1864.Re-elected in 1866.Re-elected in 1868.Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of Treasury. 1863–1873 Vacant March 12, 1869 –November 2, 1869 George M. Brooks Republican November 2, 1869 –May 13, 1872 Elected to finish Boutwell's term.Re-elected in 1870.Resigned. Vacant May 13, 1872 –December 2, 1872 Constantine C. Esty Republican December 2, 1872 –March 3, 1873 Elected to finish Brooks's term. Ebenezer R. Hoar Republican March 4, 1873 –March 3, 1875 Elected in 1872. 1873–1883 John K. Tarbox Democratic March 4, 1875 –March 3, 1877 Elected in 1874. Benjamin F. Butler Republican March 4, 1877 –March 3, 1879 Elected in 1876. William A. Russell Republican March 4, 1879 –March 3, 1883 Elected in 1878.Re-elected in 1880.Redistricted to the . Eben F. Stone Republican March 4, 1883 –March 3, 1887 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1882.Re-elected in 1884. 1883–1893 William Cogswell Republican March 4, 1887 –March 3, 1893 Elected in 1886.Re-elected in 1888.Re-elected in 1890.Redistricted to the . Vacant March 4, 1893 –April 25, 1893 Member Henry Cabot Lodge had been redistricted from the and re-elected in 1892, but resigned to become a U.S. senator. 1893–1903 William Everett Democratic April 25, 1893 –March 3, 1895 Elected to finish Cabot Lodge's term. William Emerson Barrett Republican March 4, 1895 –March 3, 1899 Elected in 1894.Re-elected in 1896. Ernest W. Roberts Republican March 4, 1899 –March 3, 1913 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.Redistricted to the . 1903–1913 Michael Francis Phelan Democratic March 4, 1913 –March 3, 1921 Elected in 1912.Re-elected in 1914.Re-elected in 1916.Re-elected in 1918.Lost re-election. 1913–1923 Robert S. Maloney Republican March 4, 1921 –March 3, 1923 Elected in 1920.Lost re-election. William P. Connery Jr. Democratic March 4, 1923 –June 15, 1937 Elected in 1922.Re-elected in 1924.Re-elected in 1926.Re-elected in 1928.Re-elected in 1930.Re-elected in 1932.Re-elected in 1934.Died. 1923–1933 1933–1943 Vacant June 16, 1937 –September 27, 1937 Lawrence J. Connery Democratic September 28, 1937 –October 19, 1941 Elected to finish his brother's term.Re-elected in 1938.Re-elected in 1940.Died. Vacant October 20, 1941 –December 29, 1941 Thomas J. Lane Democratic December 30, 1941 –January 3, 1963 Elected to finish Connery's term.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.Redistricted to the and lost re-election. 1943–1953 1953–1963 Torbert H. Macdonald Democratic January 3, 1963 –May 21, 1976 Redistricted from the .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.Died. 1963–1973 1973–1983 Vacant May 22, 1976 –November 1, 1976 Ed Markey Democratic November 2, 1976 –January 3, 2013 Elected to finish Macdonald's term.Simultaneously elected to a full term 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.Re-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.Re-elected in 2010.Redistricted to the . 1983–1993 1993–2003 2003–2013 Michael Capuano Democratic January 3, 2013 –January 3, 2019 Redistricted from the .Elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Lost renomination. 2013–2023 Ayanna Pressley Democratic January 3, 2019 –present Elected in 2018.Re-elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022.Re-elected in 2024. 2023–present
Recent election results
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Notes
References Citations
General sources
Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present
External links
Map of Massachusetts's 7th Congressional District, via Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
Election results CNN.com 2004 election results CNN.com 2006 election results