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North Carolina's 2nd congressional district

Coordinates: 35°52′N 78°36′W / 35.87°N 78.60°W / 35.87; -78.60
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

North Carolina's 2nd congressional district
Map
Map
Interactive map of district boundaries
Representative
Population (2023)784,882[1]
Median household
income
$104,376[1]
Ethnicity
Cook PVID+12[2]

North Carolina's 2nd congressional district is located in the central part of the state. The district contains most of Wake County. Prior to court-mandated redistricting in 2019, it also included northern Johnston County, southern Nash County, far western Wilson County, and all of Franklin and Harnett counties. The 2nd district has been represented by Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross since 2021.

Established by the state legislature after the American Civil War, the district was known as "The Black Second;" counties included in the district were mostly majority-Black in population. All four of North Carolina's Republican African-American congressmen elected in the post-Civil War era (ending with George Henry White) represented this district,[3][4] as did white yeoman farmer Curtis Hooks Brogden of Wayne County, a Republican ally of former Governor William Woods Holden.

After North Carolina Democrats regained control of the state legislature in the 1870s (using intimidation by the Red Shirts and other paramilitary groups to reduce the number of African Americans voting), they passed voter registration and electoral laws that restricted voter rolls. Black Americans continued getting elected into local and state level offices. The state legislature passed a new constitutional amendment in 1900, which effectively disfranchised blacks altogether.[5] This ended the election of Black Americans to local, state or Congressional offices until after the passage of federal civil rights legislation in the mid-1960s, which enforced constitutional voting rights.

Thousands of Black Americans migrated north from the state in the Great Migration during the first half of the twentieth century, seeking job opportunities and education. By the later twentieth century, before the 1990s, the 2nd district was roughly 40% black. While it had the highest percentage of Black residents of any congressional district in North Carolina, African-American candidates were unable to get elected to Congress from the majority-white district.

State redistricting following census changes led to the creation of the black-majority 1st and 12th districts and drew off some of the Black population from the 2nd. Today the proportion of African-American residents is about 20.11% in the 2nd district.

In 2019, court-mandated redistricting shifted the district entirely into urban Wake County. Incumbent Republican representative George Holding declined to run for re-election in 2020, and Democratic Rep. Deborah Ross won election to the seat.[6]

On February 23, 2022, the North Carolina Supreme Court approved a new map which changed the 2nd district boundaries to include northern Wake County while moving much of what had been the 2nd district to the 13th district.[7]

Wake County is the sole county in the district.

List of members representing the district

[edit]
Member
(Residence)
Party Years Cong
ress
Electoral history District location
District established March 19, 1790

Hugh Williamson
(Edenton)
Anti-Administration March 19, 1790 –
March 3, 1791
1st Elected in 1790.
Redistricted to the 4th district.
1790–1791
"Edenton and New Bern division"

Nathaniel Macon
(Warrenton)
Anti-Administration March 4, 1791 –
March 3, 1793
2nd Elected in 1791.
Redistricted to the 5th district.
1791–1793
"Centre division"
Matthew Locke
(Rowan County)
Anti-Administration March 4, 1793 –
March 3, 1795
3rd
4th
5th
Elected in 1793.
Re-elected in 1795.
Re-elected in 1796.
Lost re-election.
1793–1803
[data missing]
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1795 –
March 3, 1799

Archibald Henderson
(Salisbury)
Federalist March 4, 1799 –
March 3, 1803
6th
7th
Elected in 1798.
Re-elected in 1800.
Redistricted to the 12th district.
Willis Alston
(Greenville)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1803 –
March 3, 1815
8th
9th
10th
11th
12th
13th
Redistricted from the 9th district and re-elected in 1803.
Re-elected in 1804.
Re-elected in 1806.
Re-elected in 1808.
Re-elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1813.
Retired.
1803–1813
"North Carolina congressional district map (1803–13)".[8]
1813–1823
"North Carolina congressional district map (1813–43)".[8]
Joseph Hunter Bryan
(Windsor)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1815 –
March 3, 1819
14th
15th
Elected in 1815.
Re-elected in 1817.
[data missing]

Hutchins G. Burton
(Halifax)
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1819 –
March 3, 1823
16th
17th
18th
Elected in 1819.
Re-elected in 1821.
Resigned when elected Governor of North Carolina.
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1823 –
March 23, 1824
1823–1833
"North Carolina congressional district map (1813–43)".[8]
Vacant March 24, 1824 –
January 18, 1825
18th
George Outlaw
(Windsor)
Democratic-Republican January 19, 1825 –
March 3, 1825
Elected January 6, 1825 to finish Burton's term and seated January 19, 1825.
Lost re-election.
Willis Alston
(Hyde Park)
Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1831
19th
20th
21st
Elected in 1825.
Re-elected in 1827.
Re-elected in 1829.
Retired.
Vacant March 4, 1831 –
May 12, 1831
22nd

John Branch
(Enfield)
Jacksonian May 12, 1831 –
March 3, 1833
Elected to finish the vacant term.
Retired.
Jesse A. Bynum
(Halifax)
Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –
March 3, 1837
23rd
24th
25th
26th
Elected in 1833.
Re-elected in 1835.
Re-elected in 1837.
Re-elected in 1839.
[data missing]
1833–1843
"North Carolina congressional district map (1813–43)".[8]
Democratic March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1841
John Daniel
(Halifax)
Democratic March 4, 1841 –
March 3, 1843
27th Elected in 1841.
Redistricted to the 7th district.

Daniel M. Barringer
(Concord)
Whig March 4, 1843 –
March 3, 1847
28th
29th
Elected in 1843.
Re-elected in 1845.
Redistricted to the 3rd district.
1843–1853
[data missing]

Nathaniel Boyden
(Salisbury)
Whig March 4, 1847 –
March 3, 1849
30th Elected in 1847.
Retired.
Joseph P. Caldwell
(Statesville)
Whig March 4, 1849 –
March 3, 1853
31st
32nd
Elected in 1849.
Re-elected in 1851.
Retired.

Thomas H. Ruffin
(Goldsboro)
Democratic March 4, 1853 –
March 3, 1861
33rd
34th
35th
36th
Elected in 1853.
Re-elected in 1855.
Re-elected in 1857.
Re-elected in 1859.
[data missing]
1853–1861
[data missing]
Vacant March 3, 1861 –
July 25, 1868
37th
38th
39th
40th
Civil War and Reconstruction

David Heaton
(New Bern)
Republican July 25, 1868 –
June 25, 1870
40th
41st
Elected to finish the short term.
Re-elected in 1868.
Died.
1868–1873
[data missing]
Vacant June 26, 1870 –
December 4, 1870
41st
Joseph Dixon
(Hookerton)
Republican December 5, 1870 –
March 3, 1871
Elected to finish Heaton's term.
Retired.
Charles Thomas
(New Bern)
Republican March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1875
42nd
43rd
Elected in 1870.
Re-elected in 1872.
Lost renomination.
1873–1883
[data missing]

John A. Hyman
(Warrenton)
Republican March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1877
44th Elected in 1874.
Lost renomination to immediate past governor.

Curtis H. Brogden
(Goldsboro)
Republican March 4, 1877 –
March 3, 1879
45th Elected in 1876.
Retired.

William H. Kitchin
(Scotland Neck)
Democratic March 4, 1879 –
March 3, 1881
46th Elected in 1878.
Lost re-election.

Orlando Hubbs
(New Bern)
Republican March 4, 1881 –
March 3, 1883
47th Elected in 1880.
Retired.

James E. O'Hara
(Enfield)
Republican March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1887
48th
49th
Elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Lost re-election.
1883–1893
[data missing]

Furnifold M. Simmons
(New Bern)
Democratic March 4, 1887 –
March 3, 1889
50th Elected in 1886.
Lost re-election.

Henry P. Cheatham
(Littleton)
Republican March 4, 1889 –
March 3, 1893
51st
52nd
Elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Lost re-election.

Frederick A. Woodard
(Wilson)
Democratic March 4, 1893 –
March 3, 1897
53rd
54th
Elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Lost re-election.
1893–1903
[data missing]

George H. White
(Tarboro)
Republican March 4, 1897 –
March 3, 1901
55th
56th
Elected in 1896.
Re-elected in 1898.
Retired after state passage of 1900 disfranchisement constitution, which suppressed black voters for more than 60 years.

Claude Kitchin
(Scotland Neck)
Democratic March 4, 1901 –
May 31, 1923
57th
58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd
63rd
64th
65th
66th
67th
68th
Elected in 1900.
Re-elected in 1902.
Re-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.
Died.
1903–1913
[data missing]
1913–1933
[data missing]
Vacant May 31, 1923 –
November 5, 1923
68th

John H. Kerr
(Warrenton)
Democratic November 6, 1923 –
January 3, 1953
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
73rd
74th
75th
76th
77th
78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd
Elected to finish Kitchens's term.
Re-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.
Re-elected in 1942.
Re-elected in 1944.
Re-elected in 1946.
Re-elected in 1948.
Re-elected in 1950.
Lost renomination.
1933–1943
[data missing]
1943–1953
[data missing]

L. H. Fountain
(Tarboro)
Democratic January 3, 1953 –
January 3, 1983
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th
88th
89th
90th
91st
92nd
93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th
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.
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.
Retired.
1953–1963
[data missing]
1963–1973
[data missing]
1973–1983
[data missing]

Tim Valentine
(Nashville)
Democratic January 3, 1983 –
January 3, 1995
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
Elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Retired.
1983–1993
[data missing]
1993–2003
[data missing]

David Funderburk
(Buies Creek)
Republican January 3, 1995 –
January 3, 1997
104th Elected in 1994.
Lost re-election.

Bob Etheridge
(Lillington)
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.
2003–2013

Renee Ellmers
(Dunn)
Republican January 3, 2011 –
January 3, 2017
112th
113th
114th
Elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Lost renomination.
2013–2017

George Holding
(Raleigh)
Republican January 3, 2017 –
January 3, 2021
115th
116th
Redistricted from the 13th district and re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Retired.
2017–2021

Deborah Ross
(Raleigh)
Democratic January 3, 2021 –
present
117th
118th
Elected in 2020.
Re-elected in 2022.
2021–2023
2023–2025
District boundaries from 2023 to 2025

Past election results

[edit]

2000

[edit]
2000 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Etheridge (incumbent) 146,733 58.3
Republican Doug Haynes 103,011 40.9
Libertarian Mark Jackson 2,094 0.8
Total votes 251,838 100.00
Democratic hold

2002

[edit]
2002 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Etheridge (incumbent) 100,121 65.36
Republican Joseph L. Ellen 50,965 33.27
Libertarian Gary Minter 2,098 1.37
Democratic hold
Total votes 153,184 100.00

2004

[edit]
2004 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Etheridge (incumbent) 145,079 62.3
Republican Billy J. Creech 87,811 37.7
Total votes 232,890 100.00
Democratic hold

2006

[edit]
2006 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Etheridge (incumbent) 85,993 66.53
Republican Dan Mansell 43,271 33.47
Total votes 129,264 100.00
Democratic hold

2008

[edit]
2008 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bob Etheridge (incumbent) 199,730 66.93
Republican Dan Mansell 93,323 31.27
Libertarian Will Adkins 5,377 1.8
Total votes 298,430 100.00
Democratic hold

2010

[edit]
2010 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Renee Ellmers 93,876 49.47
Democratic Bob Etheridge (incumbent) 92,393 48.69
Libertarian Tom Rose 3,505 1.85
Total votes 189,774 100.00
Republican gain from Democratic

2012

[edit]
2012 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Renee Ellmers (incumbent) 174,066 55.9
Democratic Steve Wilkins 128,973 41.42
Libertarian Brian Irving 8,358 2.68
Total votes 311,397 100.00
Republican hold

2014

[edit]
2014 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Renee Ellmers (incumbent) 122,128 58.83
Democratic Clay Aiken 85,479 41.17
Total votes 207,607 100.00
Republican hold

2016

[edit]
2016 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Holding 221,485 56.71
Democratic John P. McNeil 169,082 43.29
Total votes 390,567 100.00
Republican hold

2018

[edit]
2018 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Holding (incumbent) 170,072 51.3
Democratic Linda Coleman 151,977 45.8
Libertarian Jeff Matemu 9,655 2.9
Total votes 331,704 100.00
Republican hold

2020

[edit]
2020 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Deborah Ross 310,979 63.0
Republican Alan Swain 172,019 34.8
Libertarian Jeff Matemu 10,827 2.2
Total votes 493,870 100.00
Democratic gain from Republican

2022

[edit]
2022 North Carolina's 2nd congressional district election[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Deborah Ross (incumbent) 190,714 64.7
Republican Christine Villaverde 104,155 35.3
Total votes 294,869 100.00
Democratic hold

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "My Congressional District". census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau Center for New Media and Promotion (CNMP).
  2. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. July 12, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  3. ^ "Black Americans in Congress".
  4. ^ Anderson, Eric (December 1, 1980). Race and Politics in North Carolina, 1872--1901: The Black Second. LSU Press. ISBN 9780807107843 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "Disfranchisement | NCpedia". ncpedia.org.
  6. ^ Murphy, Brian (December 4, 2019). "George Holding, whose district now leans Democratic, won't run vs. GOP incumbent". The News and Observer. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
  7. ^ Doule, Steve (February 23, 2022). "Check out new election maps: NC Supreme Court rejects appeals, approves special masters' districts". WGHP. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  8. ^ a b c d "Data Courtesy of Jeffrey B. Lewis, Brandon DeVine, and Lincoln Pritcher with Kenneth C. Martis". United States Congressional District Shapefiles.
  9. ^ "North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 1, 2022.
  10. ^ "11/05/2002 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 15, 2002. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  11. ^ "11/02/2004 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 12, 2004. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  12. ^ "11/07/2006 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 17, 2006. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  13. ^ "11/04/2008 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 14, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  14. ^ "11/02/2010 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 12, 2010. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  15. ^ "11/06/2012 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 16, 2012. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  16. ^ "11/04/2014 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. November 25, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  17. ^ "11/06/2016 Official General Election Results - Statewide". North Carolina State Board of Elections. December 13, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2017.
  18. ^ "District 2, North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement". North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  19. ^ "03/03/2020 OFFICIAL LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS - STATEWIDE". ncsbe.gov/. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  20. ^ "NC SBE Contest Results". er.ncsbe.gov. Retrieved January 2, 2023.

35°52′N 78°36′W / 35.87°N 78.60°W / 35.87; -78.60