Texas's 4th congressional district

Texas's 4th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives is in an area of Northeast Texas, that includes some counties along the Red River northeast of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. As of 2017, the 4th district represents 747,188 people who are predominantly white (80.8 percent) and middle-class (median family income is US$56,062, compared to $50,046 nationwide).[2]

"TX-4" redirects here. TX-4 may also refer to Texas State Highway 4.
Texas's 4th congressional district
Texas's 4th congressional district - since January 3, 2013.
RepresentativeVacant
Distribution
  • 51.15% rural[1]
  • 48.85% urban
Population (2017)747,188[2]
Median income$56,062[2]
Ethnicity
Cook PVIR+28[3]

District

All or portions of the following counties are currently in the 4th congressional district:[4]

History

Texas has had at least four congressional districts since the state was readmitted to the Union after the Civil War. The district’s current seat dates from 1903; only five men have represented it since then.

Once a reliably Democratic district, the district swung rapidly into the Republican column as Dallas’ suburbs spilled into the western portion of the district. In fact, it has not supported a Democrat for president since 1964, nor did a Democrat file to run in the district in either the 2014 or 2016 elections. However, even as late as 1996, Bill Clinton carried ten of the sixteen counties currently in this district; many of those counties were in the 1st district at the time. For many years, it was based in Tyler, but a controversial 2003 redistricting orchestrated by then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay drew it and neighboring Longview out of the 4th district and into neighboring 1st which made it significantly more Republican. In the process, the 4th district was pushed slightly to the north, picking up Texarkana from the 1st district.

Ralph Hall, the one-time dean of the Texas congressional delegation, represented the district from 1981 to 2015. Originally a Democrat, he became a Republican in 2004. Hall’s voting record had been very conservative even by Texas Democratic standards, which served him well as the district abandoned its Democratic roots. By the turn of the century, he was the only elected Democrat above the county level in much of the district. He had been rumored as a party switcher for some time, and many experts believed his district was almost certain to be taken over by a Republican anyway once he retired.

Hall was defeated in the 2014 Republican primary by John Ratcliffe, a former United States Attorney and the former mayor of Heath, near Hall’s hometown of Rockwall. No Democrat even filed, though the district is so heavily Republican that any Democratic candidate would have faced nearly impossible odds in any event. Ratcliffe took office in January 2015, becoming only the fifth person to hold the seat. In May 2020, Ratcliffe resigned his seat ahead of his swearing in to become the 6th Director of National Intelligence.[5]

The district’s best-known congressman was Sam Rayburn, the longtime Speaker of the House.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower was born in the fourth district.

2012 redistricting

After the 2012 redistricting process, a large portion of Collin County had been removed, and replaced with the portion of Cass County that had been in Texas's 1st congressional district, all of Marion County, and a large portion of Upshur County.[4]

Election results from recent presidential races
Year Result
2000 Bush 66 - 34%
2004 Bush 70 - 29%
2008 McCain 69 - 30%
2012[6] Romney 74 - 25%
2016[6] Trump 75 - 22%

List of members representing the district

The district was created in 1869, one of two new districts that Texas gained after the 1860 Census, but was not filled due to the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Name Party Years Cong–
ress		 Electoral history
American Civil War/Reconstruction

Edward Degener		 Republican March 31, 1870 –
March 3, 1871		 41st Elected in 1870.
Lost renomination.

John Hancock		 Democratic March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1875		 42nd
43rd		 Elected in 1870.
Re-elected in 1872.
Redistricted to the 5th district.

Roger Q. Mills		 Democratic March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1883		 44th
45th
46th
47th		 Redistricted from the at-large seat and re-elected in 1874.
Re-elected in 1876.
Re-elected in 1878.
Re-elected in 1880.
Redistricted to the 9th district.

David B. Culberson		 Democratic March 4, 1883 –
March 3, 1897		 48th
49th
50th
51st
52nd
53rd
54th		 Redistricted from the 2nd district and re-elected in 1882.
Re-elected in 1884.
Re-elected in 1886.
Re-elected in 1888.
Re-elected in 1890.
Re-elected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Retired.
John W. Cranford Democratic March 4, 1897 –
March 3, 1899		 55th
56th		 Elected in 1896.
Retired, then died on the last day of the term.

John Levi Sheppard		 Democratic March 4, 1899 –
October 11, 1902		 56th
57th		 Elected in 1898.
Re-elected in 1900.
Died.
Vacant October 11, 1902 –
November 15, 1902		 57th

Morris Sheppard		 Democratic November 15, 1902 –
March 3, 1903		 Elected to finish Sheppard's term.
Redistricted to the 1st district.

Choice B. Randell		 Democratic March 4, 1903 –
March 3, 1913		 58th
59th
60th
61st
62nd		 Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.

Sam Rayburn		 Democratic March 4, 1913 –
November 16, 1961		 63rd
64th
65th
66th
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
72nd
73rd
74th
75th
76th
77th
78th
79th
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
86th
87th		 Elected in 1912.
Re-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.
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.
Re-elected in 1952.
Re-elected in 1954.
Re-elected in 1956.
Re-elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Died.
Vacant November 16, 1961 –
January 30, 1962		 87th

Ray Roberts		 Democratic January 30, 1962 –
January 3, 1981		 87th
88th
89th
90th
91st
92nd
93rd
94th
95th
96th		 Elected to finish Rayburn's term.
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.
Retired.

Ralph Hall		 Democratic January 3, 1981 –
January 5, 2004		 97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th		 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.
Re-elected in 2012.
Lost renomination.
Republican January 5, 2004 –
January 3, 2015

John Ratcliffe		 Republican January 3, 2015 –
May 22, 2020		 114th
115th
116th		 Elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Resigned to become Director of National Intelligence.[7]
Vacant May 22, 2020 –
present		 116th

Recent elections

2004
US House election, 2004: Texas District 4[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Hall 182,866 68.2
Democratic Jim Nickerson 81,585 30.4
Libertarian Kevin D. Anderson 3,491 1.3
Total votes 267,942
Republican hold

2006
US House election, 2006: Texas District 4[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Hall 106,495 64.43
Democratic Glenn Melancon 55,278 33.34
Libertarian Kurt G. Helm 3,496 2.11
Total votes 165,269
Republican hold

2008
US House election, 2008: Texas District 4[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Hall 206,906 68.79
Democratic Glenn Melancon 88,067 29.28
Libertarian Fred Annett 5,771 1.91
Total votes 300,744
Republican hold

2010
US House election, 2010: Texas District 4[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Hall 136,338 73.18
Democratic VaLinda Hathcox 40,975 21.99
Libertarian Jim D. Prindle 4,729 2.53
Independent Shane Shepard 4,224 2.27
Total votes 186,286
Republican hold

2012
US House election, 2012: Texas District 4[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Hall 182,679 72.97
Democratic VaLinda Hathcox 60,214 24.05
Libertarian Thomas Griffing 7,262 2.90
Write-in Fred Rostek 188 0.08
Total votes 250,343
Republican hold

2014
US House election, 2014: Texas District 4[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Ratcliffe 115,085 100.00
Total votes 115,085
Republican hold

2016
US House election, 2016: Texas District 4[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Ratcliffe 216,643 87.99
Libertarian Cody Wommack 29,577 12.01
Total votes 246,220
Republican hold

2018
US House election, 2018: Texas District 4[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Ratcliffe 188,667 75.7
Democratic Catherine Krantz 57,400 23.0
Libertarian Ken Ashby 3,178 1.3
Total votes 249,245 100.0
Republican hold

Historical district boundaries
2007 - 2013
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See also

References
  1. "TEXAS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS BY URBAN AND RURAL POPULATION AND LAND AREA". US Census Bureau. Retrieved 2019-01-19.
  2. Bureau, Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov. Retrieved 2019-01-19.
  3. "Arranged by State District" (PDF). Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  4. http://gis1.tlc.state.tx.us/
  5. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/05/21/senate-poised-to-confirm-rep-john-ratcliffe-as-director-of-national-intelligence/
  6. "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved 2019-01-19.
  7. https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2020/05/21/senate-poised-to-confirm-rep-john-ratcliffe-as-director-of-national-intelligence/
  8. Office of the Secretary of State (November 2, 2004). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  9. Office of the Secretary of State (November 7, 2006). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  10. Office of the Secretary of State (November 4, 2008). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  11. Office of the Secretary of State (November 2, 2010). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  12. Office of the Secretary of State (November 6, 2012). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  13. Office of the Secretary of State (November 4, 2014). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  14. Office of the Secretary of State (November 8, 2016). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  15. Office of the Secretary of State (November 6, 2018). "Race Summary Report". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Alabama's 7th congressional district		 Home district of the Speaker of the House
September 16, 1940 – January 3, 1947		 Succeeded by
Massachusetts's 14th congressional district
Preceded by
Massachusetts's 14th congressional district		 Home district of the Speaker of the House
January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1953		 Succeeded by
Massachusetts's 14th congressional district
Preceded by
Massachusetts's 14th congressional district		 Home district of the Speaker of the House
January 3, 1955 – November 16, 1961		 Succeeded by
Massachusetts's 12th congressional district

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