Colorado's 7th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Colorado. Formerly located only in the northeast part of the state, the district now encompasses the western parts of the Denver metropolitan area, including Golden, Lakewood, Arvada and Broomfield, along with the central Colorado counties of El Paso County, Jefferson, Park, Teller, Lake, Chaffee, Fremont, and Custer.
Colorado's 7th congressional district | |
---|---|
Representative | |
Distribution |
|
Population (2023) | 726,989[2] |
Median household income | $99,041[3] |
Ethnicity |
|
Cook PVI | D+4[4] |
The district has been represented by Democrat Brittany Pettersen since 2023.
History
edit2000s
editThe 7th congressional district was created following the 2000 U.S. census and associated realignment and reapportionment of Colorado congressional districts. It formerly consisted of portions of Adams, Arapahoe, and Jefferson counties, see above for the more recent list. The boundaries were drawn by a court after the state legislature failed to agree on a redistricting plan.[5]
Characteristics
editAs originally drawn, the 7th was a "fair fight" district that was split roughly 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans. The seat's original congressman, Republican Bob Beauprez, gave up the seat in 2006 to run for governor, and was succeeded by Democrat Ed Perlmutter. Since then, a growing Democratic trend in the Denver suburbs allowed Perlmutter to strengthen his hold on the seat.
Redistricting after the 2010 census shifted the district to the more populated portions of Jefferson County, making it slightly more Democratic. The 2020 census has changed the district significantly, absorbing the rural areas in the central portion of the state. While the district takes in much more rural population than before, the bulk of population still lives in Jefferson and Broomfield counties, giving the district a mildly Democratic tilt.
Voting
editElection results from presidential races[6]
Election results from presidential races | ||
---|---|---|
Year | Office | Results |
2004 | President | Kerry 51–48% |
2008 | President | Obama 59–40% |
2012 | President | Obama 56–41% |
2016 | President | Clinton 51–39% |
2020 | President | Biden 60–37% |
Composition
edit# | County | Seat | Population |
---|---|---|---|
14 | Broomfield | Broomfield | 76,860 |
15 | Chaffee | Salida | 20,617 |
27 | Custer | Westcliffe | 5,534 |
43 | Fremont | Cañon City | 50,318 |
59 | Jefferson | Golden | 576,366 |
65 | Lake | Leadville | 7,365 |
93 | Park | Fairplay | 18,117 |
119 | Teller | Cripple Creek | 24,617 |
Cities of 10,000 people or more
edit- Lakewood – 155,984
- Arvada – 124,402
- Westminster – 116,317
- Broomfield – 74,112
- Dakota Ridge – 33,892
- Wheat Ridge – 32,398
- Golden – 20,399
- Cañon City – 17,141
- Superior – 13,094
2,500 – 10,000 people
edit- Fairmount – 9,324
- Evergreen – 9,307
- Applewood – 7,833
- Salida – 5,666
- Edgewater – 5,005
- West Pleasant View – 4,327
- Lincoln Park – 3,934
- Florence – 3,822
- Penrose – 3,685
- Genesee – 3,610
- Park Center – 2,953
- Buena Vista – 2,855
- Leadville – 2,633
List of members representing the district
editName | Party | Years | Cong– ress |
Electoral history | District location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
District created January 3, 2003 | |||||
Bob Beauprez (Arvada) |
Republican | January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 |
108th 109th |
Elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Retired to run for Governor of Colorado. |
2003–2013 |
Ed Perlmutter (Arvada) |
Democratic | January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2023 |
110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th |
Elected in 2006. 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. Retired. | |
2013–2023 | |||||
Brittany Pettersen (Lakewood) |
Democratic | January 3, 2023 – present |
118th | Elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. |
2023–present |
Election results
edit
2002 • 2004 • 2006 • 2008 • 2010 • 2012 • 2014 • 2016 • 2018 • 2020 • 2022 |
2002
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bob Beauprez | 81,789 | 47% | ||
Democratic | Mike Feeley | 81,668 | 47% | ||
Green | Dave Chandler | 3,274 | 2% | ||
Reform | Victor Good | 3,133 | 2% | ||
Libertarian | G. T. "Bud" Martin | 2,906 | 2% | ||
Independent | Stanford Andress (as a write-in) | 109 | 0% | ||
Total votes | 172,879 | 100% | |||
Republican win (new seat) |
2004
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bob Beauprez (incumbent) | 135,571 | 55% | |
Democratic | Dave Thomas | 106,026 | 43% | |
Constitution | Clyde J. Harkins | 6,167 | 2% | |
Total votes | 247,764 | 100% | ||
Republican hold |
2006
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ed Perlmutter | 103,918 | 55% | |||
Republican | Rick O'Donnell | 79,571 | 42% | |||
Green | Dave Chandler | 3,073 | 2% | |||
Constitution | Roger McCarville | 2,605 | 1% | |||
Total votes | 189,172 | 100% | ||||
Democratic gain from Republican |
2008
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 173,931 | 63% | |
Republican | John W. Lerew | 100,055 | 37% | |
Total votes | 273,986 | 100% | ||
Democratic hold |
2010
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 112,667 | 53% | |
Republican | Ryan Frazier | 88,026 | 42% | |
Libertarian | Buck Bailey | 10,117 | 5% | |
Total votes | 210,810 | 100% | ||
Democratic hold |
2012
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 182,460 | 54% | |
Republican | Joe Coors, Jr. | 139,066 | 41% | |
Libertarian | Buck Bailey | 9,148 | 3% | |
Constitution | Douglas Campbell | 10,296 | 2% | |
Total votes | 340,970 | 100% | ||
Democratic hold |
2014
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 148,225 | 55% | |
Republican | Don Ytterberg | 120,918 | 45% | |
Total votes | 269,143 | 100% | ||
Democratic hold |
2016
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 199,758 | 55.18% | |
Republican | George Athanasopoulos | 144,066 | 39.80% | |
Libertarian | Martin L. Buchanan | 18,186 | 5.02% | |
Total votes | 362,010 | 100% | ||
Democratic hold |
2018
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 204,260 | 60.42% | |
Republican | Mark Barrington | 119,734 | 35.42% | |
Libertarian | Jennifer Nackerud | 14,012 | 4.14% | |
Total votes | 338,067 | 100% | ||
Democratic hold |
2020
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ed Perlmutter (incumbent) | 250,525 | 59.1% | |
Republican | Casper Stockham | 159,301 | 37.6% | |
Libertarian | Ken Biles | 11,510 | 2.7% | |
Unity | Dave Olszta | 2,355 | 0.6% | |
Total votes | 423,691 | 100% | ||
Democratic hold |
2022
editParty | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Brittany Pettersen | 204,984 | 56.4% | |
Republican | Erik Aadland | 150,510 | 41.4% | |
Libertarian | Ross Klopf | 6,187 | 1.7% | |
Unity | Critter Milton | 1,828 | 0.5% | |
Independent | JP Lujan (write-in) | 92 | 0.0% | |
Total votes | 363,601 | 100% | ||
Democratic hold |
Historical district boundaries
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (State-based)". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013.
- ^ "My Congressional District".
- ^ "My Congressional District".
- ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ^ Greenhouse, Linda (June 8, 2004). "Colorado Republicans Lose Redistricting Effort". The New York Times.
- ^ Presidential Election Results, by district, swingstateproject.com
- ^ 2002 Election Results
- ^ 2004 Election Results
- ^ 2006 Election Results
- ^ 2008 Election Results
- ^ "2010 Election Results". Archived from the original on November 29, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
- ^ 2012 Election Results
- ^ 2014 Election Results
- ^ 2016 Election Results
- ^ "2018 Colorado general election results". Retrieved June 21, 2019.
- ^ "2020 General Election - Official Compiled Results". Colorado Secretary of State. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
- ^ "Certificate & Results - General Election Statewide Abstract of Votes Cast" (PDF). Colorado Secretary of State.
- ^ "The national atlas". nationalatlas.gov. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 22, 2014.