Wisconsin's 7th congressional district

Wisconsin's 7th congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in northwestern and central Wisconsin; it is the largest congressional district in the state geographically, covering 20 counties (in whole or part), for a total of 18,787 sq mi. The district contains the following counties: Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, St. Croix, Chippewa (partial), Clark, Douglas, Florence, Forest, Iron, Jackson (partial), Juneau (partial), Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Monroe (partial), Oneida, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, Vilas, Washburn, and Wood (partial).

Wisconsin's 7th congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative	Tom Tiffany R–Minocqua
Area	18,786.53 sq mi (48,656.9 km2)
Distribution	57.96% rural 42.04% urban
Population (2023)	747,209
Median household income	$71,320[1]
Ethnicity	89.5% White 3.3% Two or more races 2.6% Hispanic 2.0% Native American 1.6% Asian 0.7% Black 0.3% other
Cook PVI	R+12[2]

The district is currently represented by Republican Tom Tiffany.

While in 2008, the district gave 56% of the vote to Barack Obama, it has swung to the Republicans in recent presidential elections with Mitt Romney winning with 51% of the vote in 2012 and Donald Trump winning with 58% of the vote in 2016. Additionally, left-leaning Portage County (which contains the city of Stevens Point) was removed from the 7th and added to the 3rd during the hotly contested 2013 redistricting. Since these shifts, the rural 7th has surpassed the suburban 5th as the most Republican district in Wisconsin.

Agriculture is a major industry and employer in the rural 7th district.^[3] This district has been a major producer of milk from cows, grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas.^[4] 60% of the farmland in this district is used for crop production, another major economic stimulant.

Counties and municipalities within the district

#	County	Seat	Population
3	Ashland	Ashland	16,107
5	Barron	Barron	46,719
7	Bayfield	Washburn	16,320
13	Burnett	Siren	16,744
17	Chippewa	Chippewa Falls	66,865
19	Clark	Neillsville	34,746
31	Douglas	Superior	44,203
37	Florence	Florence	4,593
41	Forest	Crandon	9,258
51	Iron	Hurley	6,178
53	Jackson	Black River Falls	21,121
57	Juneau	Mauston	26,802
67	Langlade	Antigo	19,502
69	Lincoln	Merrill	28,541
73	Marathon	Wausau	137,648
81	Monroe	Sparta	46,193
85	Oneida	Rhinelander	38,259
95	Polk	Balsam Lake	45,431
99	Price	Phillips	14,050
107	Rusk	Ladysmith	14,123
113	Sawyer	Hayward	18,295
109	St. Croix	Hudson	95,044
119	Taylor	Medford	19,923
125	Vilas	Eagle River	23,520
129	Washburn	Shell Lake	16,752
141	Wood	Wisconsin Rapids	74,070

Ashland County

Ashland, Butternut, and Mellen.

Barron County

Almena, Barron, Cameron, Chetek, Cumberland, Dallas, Haugen, Prairie Farm, Rice Lake, and Turtle Lake.

Bayfield County

Bayfield, Mason, and Washburn.

Burnett County

Grantsburg, Siren, and Webster.

Chippewa County

Bloomer, Boyd, Cadott, Cornell, New Auburn, and Stanley.

Clark County

Abbotsford (Clark County side), Colby, Curtiss, Dorchester, Granton, Greenwood, Loyal, Neillsville, Owen, Thorp, and Withee.

Douglas County

Lake Nebagamon, Oliver, Poplar, Solon Springs, and Superior.

Florence County

Aurora, Commonwealth, Fence, Fern, Florence, Homestead, Long Lake, and Tipler.

Forest County

Crandon

Iron County

Hurley and Montreal.

Jackson County

Alma, Bear Bluff, City Point, Cleveland, Garden Valley, Knapp, and Merrillan (part).

Juneau County

Armenia, Clearfield (most), Cutler, Finley, Germantown (half), Kingston, and Necedah.

Langlade County

Antigo and White Lake.

Lincoln County

Bradley and Merrill.

Marathon County

Athens, Edgar, Elderon, Fenwood, Hatley, Marathon City, Mosinee, Rothschild, Schofield, Spencer, Stratford, Unity, and Wausau.

Monroe County

La Grange, Lincoln, and Warrens.

Oneida County

Rhinelander.

Polk County

Amery, Balsam Lake, Centuria, Clayton, Clear Lake, Dresser, Frederic, Luck, Osceola, and St. Croix Falls.

Price County

Catawba, Kennan, Park Falls, Phillips, and Prentice.

Rusk County

Bruce, Conrath, Glen Flora, Hawkins, Ingram, Ladysmith, Sheldon, Tony, and Weyerhaeuser.

Sawyer County

Couderay, Exeland, Hayward, Radisson, and Winter.

St. Croix County

Baldwin, Deer Park, Glenwood City, Hammond, Hudson, New Richmond, North Hudson, River Falls (St. Croix side), Roberts, Somerset, Spring Valley (St. Croix side), Star Prairie, Wilson, and Woodville.

Taylor County

Gilman, Lublin, Medford, Rib Lake, and Stetsonville.

Vilas County

Arbor Vitae, Boulder Junction, Cloverland, Conover, Eagle River, Lac du Flambeau, Land O' Lakes, Lincoln, Manitowish Waters, Phelps, Plum Lake, Presque Isle, St. Germain, and Washington.

Washburn County

Birchwood, Minong, Shell Lake, and Spooner.

Wood County

Arpin, Auburndale, Hewitt, Marshfield, and Pittsville.

List of members representing the district

Member	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history	District
District established March 4, 1873
Jeremiah Rusk (Viroqua)	Republican	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1877	43rd 44th	Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874. Retired.	Buffalo, Clark, Eau Claire, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, St. Croix, Trempealeau, & Vernon counties
Herman L. Humphrey (Hudson)	Republican	March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883	45th 46th 47th	Elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Lost renomination.
Gilbert M. Woodward (La Crosse)	Democratic	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885	48th	Elected in 1882. Lost re-election.	Crawford, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Sauk, & Vernon counties
Ormsby B. Thomas (Prairie du Chien)	Republican	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891	49th 50th 51st	Elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Lost re-election.
Frank P. Coburn (West Salem)	Democratic	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893	52nd	Elected in 1890. Lost re-election.
George B. Shaw (Eau Claire)	Republican	March 4, 1893 – August 27, 1894	53rd	Elected in 1892. Died.	Buffalo, Eau Claire, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, & Trempealeau counties
Vacant		August 27, 1894 – November 5, 1894
Michael Griffin (Eau Claire)	Republican	November 5, 1894 – March 3, 1899	53rd 54th 55th	Elected to finish Shaw's term. Also elected to the next full term. Re-elected in 1896. Retired.
John J. Esch (La Crosse)	Republican	March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1921	56th 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th 66th	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. Re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Lost renomination.
					Buffalo, Clark, Eau Claire, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, & Trempealeau counties
					Adams, Clark, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Sauk, & Vernon counties
Joseph D. Beck (Viroqua)	Republican	March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1929	67th 68th 69th 70th	Elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Retired to run for Governor of Wisconsin.
Merlin Hull (Black River Falls)	Republican	March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1931	71st	Elected in 1928. Lost renomination.
Gardner R. Withrow (La Crosse)	Republican	March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933	72nd	Elected in 1930. Redistricted to the 3rd district.
Gerald J. Boileau (Wausau)	Republican	March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935	73rd 74th 75th	Redistricted from the 8th district and re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Lost re-election.	Adams, Green Lake, Langlade, Marathon, Marquette, Portage, Shawano, Waupaca, Waushara, & Wood counties
	Progressive	January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1939
Reid F. Murray (Ogdensburg)	Republican	January 3, 1939 – April 29, 1952	76th 77th 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd	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. Died.
Vacant		April 29, 1952 – January 3, 1953	82nd
Melvin Laird (Marshfield)	Republican	January 3, 1953 – January 21, 1969	83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st	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. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of Defense.
					Adams, Clark, Florence, Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Marquette, Menominee, Portage, Shawano, Taylor, Waupaca, Waushara, & Wood counties
Vacant		January 21, 1969 – April 1, 1969	91st
Dave Obey (Wausau)	Democratic	April 1, 1969 – January 3, 2011	91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th	Elected to finish Laird's term. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-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. 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. Retired.
					Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Iron, Lincoln, Marathon, Portage, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, Washburn, & Wood counties & most of Oneida County All of Oneida County except for the town of Enterprise
					Ashland, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Douglas, Iron, Lincoln, Marathon, Portage, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, Taylor, & Washburn counties & northern Clark County, southeast Oneida County, northern Polk County, & most of Wood County Clark County Town of Colby Town of Green Grove Town of Hixon Town of Hoard Town of Longwood Town of Mayville Town of Reseburg Town of Thorp Town of Withee Town of Worden Village of Curtiss Village of Dorchester Village of Withee the part of the village of Unity in the county City of Owen City of Thorp the part of the city of Abbotsford in the county the part of the city of Colby in the county Oneida County Town of Crescent Town of Enterprise Town of Monico Town of Pelican Town of Schoepke City of Rhinelander Polk County Town of Bone Lake Town of Clam Falls Town of Eureka Town of Georgetown Town of Laketown Town of Lorain Town of Luck Town of McKinley Town of Milltown Town of Sterling Town of West Sweden Villages of Frederic Villages of Luck Villages of Milltown Wood County Town of Arpin Town of Auburndale Town of Cameron Town of Cary Town of Dexter Town of Grand Rapids Town of Hansen Town of Lincoln Town of Marshfield Town of Milladore Town of Richfield Town of Rock Town of Rudolph Town of Seneca Town of Sherry Town of Sigel Town of Wood Village of Arpin Village of Auburndale Village of Biron Village of Hewitt Village of Port Edwards Village of Rudolph Village of Vesper the part of the village of Milladore in the county City of Nekoosa City of Pittsville City of Wisconsin Rapids the part of the city of Marshfield in the county
					1993–2003
					2003–2013
Sean Duffy (Wausau)	Republican	January 3, 2011 – September 23, 2019	112th 113th 114th 115th 116th	Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Resigned due to family health issues.
					2013–2023
Vacant		September 23, 2019 – May 19, 2020	116th
Tom Tiffany (Minocqua)	Republican	May 19, 2020 – present	116th 117th 118th	Elected to finish Duffy's term. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022.
					2023–present

Recent election results

2002 district boundaries (2002–2011)

Year	Date	Elected				Defeated				Total	Plurality
2002[5]	Nov. 5	Dave Obey (inc)	Democratic	146,364	64.21%	Joe Rothbauer	Rep.	81,518	35.76%	227,955	64,846
2004[6]	Nov. 2	Dave Obey (inc)	Democratic	241,306	85.64%	Mike Miles	Grn.	26,518	9.41%	281,752	214,788
						Larry Oftedahl	Con.	12,841	4.56%
2006[7]	Nov. 7	Dave Obey (inc)	Democratic	161,903	62.17%	Nick Reid	Rep.	91,069	34.97%	260,428	70,834
						Mike Miles	Grn.	7,391	2.84%
2008[8]	Nov. 4	Dave Obey (inc)	Democratic	212,666	60.79%	Dan Mielke	Rep.	136,938	39.14%	349,837	75,728
2010[9]	Nov. 2	Sean Duffy	Republican	132,551	52.11%	Julie Lassa	Dem.	113,018	44.43%	254,389	19,533
						Gary Kauther	Ind.	8,397	3.30%

2011 district boundaries (2012–2021)

Year	Date	Elected				Defeated				Total	Plurality
2012[10]	Nov. 6	Sean Duffy (inc)	Republican	201,720	56.08%	Pat Kreitlow	Dem.	157,524	43.80%	359,669	44,196
						Dale C. Lehner (write-in)	Ind.	20	0.01%
2014[11]	Nov. 4	Sean Duffy (inc)	Republican	169,891	59.28%	Kelly Westlund	Dem.	112,949	39.41%	286,603	56,942
						Lawrence Dale	Ind.	3,686	1.29%
						Tob Taylor (write-in)	Ind.	30	0.01%
						John Schiess (write-in)	Ind.	5	0.00%
2016[12]	Nov. 8	Sean Duffy (inc)	Republican	223,418	61.67%	Mary Hoeft	Dem.	138,643	38.27%	362,271	84,775
2018[13]	Nov. 6	Sean Duffy (inc)	Republican	194,061	60.11%	Margaret Engebretson	Dem.	124,307	38.50%	322,840	69,754
						Ken Driessen	Ind.	4,416	1.37%
2020[14] (special)	May 12	Tom Tiffany	Republican	109,498	57.11%	Tricia Zunker	Dem.	82,135	42.84%	191,720	27,363
						Michael Opela (write-in)	Rep.	3	0.00%
						Dennis Paulaha (write-in)	Ind.	2	0.00%
2020[15]	Nov. 3	Tom Tiffany (inc)	Republican	252,048	60.73%	Tricia Zunker	Dem.	162,741	39.21%	415,007	89,307

2022 district boundaries (2022–2031)

Year	Date	Elected				Defeated				Total	Plurality
2022[16]	Nov. 8	Tom Tiffany (inc)	Republican	209,224	61.85%	Richard Dick Ausman	Dem.	128,877	38.10%	338,268	80,347

Election results from recent statewide races

Year	Results
2000	Gore 48 - 47%
2004	Kerry 50 - 49%
2008	Obama 56 - 43%
2012	Romney 51 - 48%
2016	Trump 58 - 37%
2020	Trump 59 - 39%
2024	Trump 60 - 38%

See also

• United States portal

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

References

General

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present

Specific

1. "My Congressional District".
2. "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
3. "The Future of Farming and Rural Life in Wisconsin: Findings, Recommendations, Steps to a Healthy Future" (PDF).
4. "2012 Congressional District Profiles" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture - National Agricultural Statistics Service.
5. Results of Fall General Election - 11/05/2002 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 2, 2002. p. 5. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
6. Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2004 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2004. p. 5. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
7. Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2006 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 5, 2006. p. 6. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
8. Results of Fall General Election - 11/04/2008 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2008. p. 7. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
9. 2010 Fall General Election Results Summary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. October 4, 2010. pp. 3–4. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
10. Canvass Results for 2012 Presidential and General Election - 11/6/2012 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. November 6, 2012. p. 4. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
11. Canvass Results for 2014 General Election - 11/4/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. November 26, 2014. pp. 4–5. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
12. Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. December 22, 2016. pp. 4–5. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
13. Canvass Results for 2018 General Election - 11/6/2018 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. February 22, 2019. p. 5. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
14. Canvass Results for 2020 Special Election Representative in Congress District 7 - 5/12/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. June 10, 2020. p. 1. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
15. Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 2. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
16. Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 30, 2022. p. 4. Retrieved July 5, 2024.

External links

• Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District

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