Michigan's 7th congressional district

Michigan's 7th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Southern Michigan and portions of Central Michigan. The current district, drawn in 2022, centers around Lansing, Michigan's state capital, and includes all of Clinton, Shiawassee, Ingham, and Livingston counties, as well as portions of Eaton, Genesee, and Oakland counties.^[2]

Michigan's 7th congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative	Tom Barrett R–Charlotte
Population (2023)	781,761
Median household income	$78,247
Ethnicity	79.9% White 5.9% Black 5.7% Hispanic 4.6% Two or more races 3.2% Asian 0.7% other
Cook PVI	EVEN[1]

The district is currently represented by Republican Tom Barrett. The previous incarnation of this district was represented by Republican Tim Walberg, who now represents the state's 5th congressional district.

The district was identified as a presidential bellwether by Sabato's Crystal Ball, having voted for the Electoral College winner in the past five presidential elections as of 2024.^[3]

Composition

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and municipalities:^[4]

Clinton County (28)

All 28 municipalities

Eaton County (23)

Bellevue, Bellevue Township, Benton Township, Brookfield Township, Carmel Township, Charlotte, Chester Township, Delta Charter Township, Dimondale, Eaton Rapids, Eaton Rapids Township, Eaton Township, Grand Ledge (shared with Clinton County), Hamlin Township, Kalamo Township (part; also 2nd), Lansing (shared with Clinton and Ingham counties), Mulliken, Olivet, Oneida Township, Potterville, Roxand Township, Walton Township, Windsor Charter Township

Genesee County (1)

Argentine Township (part; also 8th)

Ingham County (24)

All 24 municipalities

Livingston County (21)

All 21 municipalities

Oakland County (4)

Lyon Charter Township, Milford (part; also 9th), Milford Charter Township (part; also 9th), South Lyon

Shiawassee County (28)

All 28 municipalities

Recent election results from statewide races

Year	Office	Results[5][6]
2008	President	Obama 54% - 44%
2012	President	Obama 51% - 48%
2016	President	Trump 49% - 45%
2018	Senate	Stabenow 51% - 47%
	Governor	Whitmer 53% - 44%
	Attorney General	Leonard 48.0% - 47.6%
2020	President	Biden 50% - 49%
	Senate	James 49.2% - 49.1%
2022	Governor	Whitmer 54% - 44%
	Secretary of State	Benson 55% - 42%
	Attorney General	Nessel 53% - 45%
2024	President	Trump 50% - 49%
	Senate	Slotkin 49% - 48%

History

The 7th congressional district was formed in 1872 covering the Thumb of Michigan. It had Tuscola, Huron, Sanilac, Lapeer, St. Clair, and Macomb Counties. In 1882 Tuscola County was removed from the district but everything else remained the same. In 1892 Grosse Point and Hamtramck Townships, the latter one today mainly within the city boundaries of Detroit were moved into the 7th district.

In 1912 Tuscola County was put back in the 7th district, but it may have lost its Wayne County areas. It was definitely deprived of these areas by 1932. In 1964 the 7th district experienced its most drastic redistricting yet. Only Lapeer County was retained from the old district while Genesee County was added. In 1972 the district was redrawn again, losing Lapeer County as well as a few outlying parts of Genesee County. In 1982 most of Lapeer County was put back in the 7th district. The northern tier of townships in Genesee County were moved to the 8th district. Burns Township in Shiawasee County and all the northern tier of townships in Oakland County with the exception of Brandon Township were also put in the district.

After 1992 this old 7th district constituted a large part of the new 9th district. The current 7th has no connection with the pre-1992 seventh congressional district. If populations and not just areas are considered, it is primarily an heir of the previous 3rd district. Most of the area came from the old 2nd district, and some of John Dingell's old 16th district was also included.

All of Eaton and Calhoun Counties were preserved from the 3rd to the 7th district. Half of the area of Barry County that had been in the old 3rd was retained. From the old 4th was drawn most of Branch County. The rest of Branch County and Hillsdale County, the southwestern portion of Washtenaw County and western Lenawee County, and most of Jackson County were taken from the old 2nd district. Even though most of the area of the old second was put in the new 7th, most of its population was moved into the 13th, From Ann Arbor to Plymouth, Livonia, and Northville. The portion of Lenawee County that had been in the 16th was absorbed, and a small part of the Washtenaw County area of the 15th district and the part of the old 6th that had been in Jackson County. Thus the new 7th district incorporated areas from six old districts.

The 2002 redistricting is best seen as a shift from the 3rd district to the 2nd district legacy. With the loss of its quadrant in Barry County and a small section of Calhoun County, the district lost affinity to the 3rd of yore. It took back the portion of Washtenaw County that had been lost to the 8th district, and shed the part of Washtenaw County that had come from the old 15th district. Although none of Wayne County was included in the new district, it did have Salem Township which not only borders Wayne County but is largely in a Wayne County-headquartered school district. From 2004 to 2013, the district contained all of Branch, Eaton, Hillsdale, Jackson, and Lenawee counties, and included most of Calhoun and much of western and northern Washtenaw counties.

In the 2012 redistricting, the district gained Monroe County as well as the portion of Washtenaw County around Saline.

List of members representing the district

Representative	Party	Years	Cong ress	Election history
District created March 4, 1873
Omar D. Conger (Port Huron)	Republican	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1881	43rd 44th 45th 46th	Redistricted from the 5th district and re-elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Resigned when elected U.S. Senator.
Vacant		March 4, 1881 – April 5, 1881	47th
John Tyler Rich (Elba)	Republican	April 5, 1881 – March 3, 1883		Elected to finish Conger's term. Lost re-election.
Ezra C. Carleton (Port Huron)	Democratic[7]	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887	48th 49th	Elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Retired.
Justin Rice Whiting (St. Clair)	Democratic[7]	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1895	50th 51st 52nd 53rd	Elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Retired.
Horace G. Snover (Port Austin)	Republican	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1899	54th 55th	Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Retired.
Edgar Weeks (Mount Clemens)	Republican	March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1903	56th 57th	Elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Lost renomination.
Henry McMorran (Port Huron)	Republican	March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1913	58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd	Elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Retired.
Louis C. Cramton (Lapeer)	Republican	March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1931	63rd 64th 65th 66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st	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. Lost renomination.
Jesse P. Wolcott (Port Huron)	Republican	March 4, 1931 – January 3, 1957	72nd 73rd 74th 75th 76th 77th 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th	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. Retired.
Robert J. McIntosh (Port Huron)	Republican	January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1959	85th	Elected in 1956. Lost re-election.
James G. O'Hara (Utica)	Democratic	January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1965	86th 87th 88th	Elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Redistricted to the 12th district.
John C. Mackie (Flint)	Democratic	January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1967	89th	Elected in 1964. Lost re-election.
Donald Riegle (Flint)	Republican	January 3, 1967 – February 27, 1973	90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th	Elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Elected as a Republican and changed political affiliation in 1973.
	Democratic	February 27, 1973 – December 30, 1976		Re-elected in 1974. Retired to run for U.S. Senator and resigned following early appointment.
Vacant		December 30, 1976 – January 3, 1977	94th
Dale Kildee (Flint)	Democratic	January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1993	95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd	Elected 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. Redistricted to the 9th district.
Nick Smith (Addison)	Republican	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2005	103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th	Elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Retired.
Joe Schwarz (Battle Creek)	Republican	January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007	109th	Elected in 2004. Lost renomination.
Tim Walberg (Tipton)	Republican	January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009	110th	Elected in 2006. Lost re-election.
Mark Schauer (Battle Creek)	Democratic	January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011	111th	Elected in 2008. Lost re-election.
Tim Walberg (Tipton)	Republican	January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2023	112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th	Elected again in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Redistricted to the 5th district.
Elissa Slotkin (Lansing)	Democratic	January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025	118th	Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 2022. Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Tom Barrett (Charlotte)	Republican	January 3, 2025 – present	119th	Elected in 2024.

Recent election results

2012

Michigan's 7th congressional district, 2012^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tim Walberg (incumbent)	169,668	53.3
	Democratic	Kurt R. Haskell	136,849	43.0
	Libertarian	Ken Proctor	8,088	2.6
	Green	Richard Wunsch	3,464	1.1
Total votes			318,069	100.0
	Republican hold

2014

Michigan's 7th congressional district, 2014^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tim Walberg (incumbent)	119,564	53.4
	Democratic	Pam Byrnes	92,083	41.2
	Libertarian	Ken Proctor	4,531	2.0
	Independent	David Swartout	4,369	2.0
	Constitution	Rick Strawcutter	3,138	1.4
Total votes			223,685	100.0
	Republican hold

2016

Michigan's 7th congressional district, 2016 ^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tim Walberg (incumbent)	184,321	55.1
	Democratic	Gretchen Driskell	134,010	40.0
	Libertarian	Ken Proctor	16,476	4.9
Total votes			334,807	100.0
	Republican hold

2018

Michigan's 7th congressional district, 2018^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tim Walberg (incumbent)	158,730	53.8
	Democratic	Gretchen Driskell	136,330	46.2
Total votes			295,060	100.0
	Republican hold

2020

Michigan's 7th congressional district, 2020^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tim Walberg (incumbent)	227,524	58.7
	Democratic	Gretchen Driskell	159,743	41.3
Total votes			387,627	100.0
	Republican hold

2022

Michigan's 7th congressional district, 2022^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Elissa Slotkin (incumbent)	192,809	51.7
	Republican	Tom Barrett	172,624	46.3
	Libertarian	Leah Dailey	7,275	1.9
Total votes			372,708	100.0
	Democratic hold

2024

Michigan's 7th congressional district, 2024^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tom Barrett	226,694	50.3
	Democratic	Curtis Hertel Jr.	209,842	46.6
	Libertarian	Leah Dailey	14,226	3.2
Total votes			450,762	100.1
	Republican gain from Democratic

Historical district boundaries

1993–2003

2003–2013

2013–2023

See also

• Michigan's congressional districts
• List of United States congressional districts

• United States portal
• Michigan portal