Connecticut's 4th congressional district

Connecticut's 4th congressional district
Connecticut's 4th congressional district
	District boundaries
Representative
	Jim Himes; D–Cos Cob
Area	539 sq mi (1,400 km2)
Distribution	95.76% urban; 4.24% rural;
Population (2019)	737,733
Median household; income	$101,646[1]
Ethnicity	62.2% White; 17.9% Hispanic; 12.5% Black; 5.2% Asian; 1.7% Two or more races; 0.5% other;
Cook PVI	D+12[2]

Connecticut's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in the southwestern part of the state, the district is largely suburban and extends from Bridgeport, the largest city in the state, to Greenwich – an area largely coextensive with the Connecticut side of the New York metropolitan area. The district also extends inland, toward Danbury and toward the Lower Naugatuck Valley.

The district is currently represented by Democrat Jim Himes. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+12, it is the one of the more Democratic districts in Connecticut, a state with an all-Democratic congressional delegation.[2]

Towns in the district

The district includes the following towns:

Fairfield County – Bridgeport, Darien, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Monroe, New Canaan, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, Shelton (part), Stamford, Trumbull, Weston, Westport, and Wilton.

New Haven County – Oxford.

Voter registration

Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 30, 2012[3]
Party		Active	Inactive	Total	Percentage
	Democratic	141,355	9,427	150,782	36.17%
	Republican	98,663	5,106	103,769	24.89%
	Minor Parties	3,737	312	4,049	0.97%
	Unaffiliated	146,218	12,043	158,261	37.97%
Total		389,973	26,888	416,861	100.00%

Recent presidential elections

Historically, the 4th was a classic "Yankee Republican" district. However, it has not supported a Republican for president since 1988, and has swung increasingly Democratic at the national level since the 1990s. This culminated in 2020, when Joe Biden won it with 64 percent of the vote, his best showing in the state.

Election results from presidential races
Year	Office	Results
2000	President	Gore 55–41%
2004	President	Kerry 52–46%
2008	President	Obama 60–40%
2012	President	Obama 55–44%
2016	President	Clinton 60–37%
2020	President	Biden 64–35%

Recent elections

Even as the district swung increasingly Democratic at the national level, Republicans usually held this district without serious difficulty until the turn of the millennium. In 2004, however, Democrat Diane Farrell held longtime incumbent Chris Shays to only 52 percent of the vote, the closest race in the district in 30 years. Shays fended off an equally spirited challenge from Farrell in 2006 before losing to Himes in 2008. Himes has held the seat ever since.

1987 election (special)

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 1987: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Christopher Shays	50,518	57%
	Democratic	Christine Niedermeier	37,293	42%
	Republican hold		Swing
Turnout			87,811	100%

1988 election

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 1988: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Christopher Shays (incumbent)	147,843	72%
	Democratic	Roger J. Pearson	55,751	27%
	Republican hold		Swing
Turnout			203,594	100%

1990 election

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 1990: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Christopher Shays (incumbent)	105,682	77%
	Democratic	Al Smith	32,352	23%
	Republican hold		Swing
Turnout			138,034	100%

1992 election

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 1992: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Christopher Shays (incumbent)	147,816	67%
	Democratic	Dave Schropfer	58,666	27%
	A Connecticut Party	Al Smith	11,679	5%
	Natural Law	Ronald M. Fried	1,445	1%
	Republican hold		Swing
Turnout			219,606	100%

1994 election

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 1994: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Christopher Shays (incumbent)	109,436	74%
	Democratic	Jonathan Kantrowitz	34,962	24%
	Libertarian	Irving Sussman	1,976	1%
	Natural Law	Terry M. Nevas	688	0.47%
	Republican hold		Swing
Turnout			147,062	100%

1996 election

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 1996: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Christopher Shays (incumbent)	121,949	60%
	Democratic	William Finch	75,902	38%
	Libertarian	Edward H. Tonkin	2,815	1%
	Natural Law	Terry M. Nevas	1,046	1%
	Republican hold		Swing
Turnout			201,712	100%

1998 election

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 1998: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Christopher Shays (incumbent)	94,767	69%
	Democratic	Jonathan Kantrowitz	40,988	28%
	Libertarian	Marshall C. Harrison	1,449	1%
	Republican hold		Swing
Turnout			137,204	100%

2000 election

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 2000: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Christopher Shays (incumbent)	119,155	58%
	Democratic	Stephanie Sanchez	84,472	41%
	Libertarian	Daniel Gislao	2,034	1%
	Independent	Frank M. Don	1,097	0.53%
	Republican hold		Swing
Turnout			206,758	100%

2002 election

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 2002: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Christopher Shays (incumbent)	113,197	64%
	Democratic	Stephanie Sanchez	62,491	36%
	Republican hold		Swing
Turnout			175,688	100%

2004 election

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 2004: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Christopher Shays (incumbent)	149,891	52%
	Democratic	Diane Farrell	136,481	48%
	Republican hold		Swing
Turnout			286,372	100%

2006 election

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 2006: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Christopher Shays (incumbent)	106,510	51%
	Democratic	Diane Farrell	99,450	48%
	Libertarian	Phil Maymin	3,058	1%
	Republican hold		Swing
Turnout			209,018	100%

2008 election

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 2008: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Himes	159,694	51%
	Republican	Christopher Shays (incumbent)	147,356	47%
	Libertarian	Michael A. Carrano	2,036	1%
	Green	Richard Z. Duffee	1,377	0.44%
Turnout			310,463	100%
	Democratic gain from Republican		Swing

2010 election

Connecticut 4th congressional district election, 2010: Connecticut District 4
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Himes (incumbent)	115,351	53%
	Republican	Daniel Debicella	102,030	47%
Turnout			217,381	100%
	Democratic hold		Swing

2012 election

Connecticut 4th Congressional District Election, 2012
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Himes (incumbent)	174,461	60%
	Republican	Steve Obsitnik	117,463	40%
Turnout			291,924	100%
	Democratic hold		Swing

2014 election

Connecticut 4th Congressional District Election, 2014
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Himes (incumbent)	106,873	54%
	Republican	Dan Debicella	91,922	46%
Turnout			198,800	100%
	Democratic hold		Swing

2016 election

Connecticut 4th Congressional District Election, 2016
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Himes (incumbent)	185,928	60%
	Republican	John Shaban	123,630	40%
Turnout			309,558	100%
	Democratic hold		Swing

2018 election

Connecticut 4th Congressional District Election, 2018
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Himes (incumbent)	168,726	61%
	Republican	Harry Arora	106,921	38%
Turnout			275,651	100%
	Democratic hold		Swing

2020 election

Connecticut 4th Congressional District Election, 2020
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Himes (incumbent)	223,832	62%
	Republican	Jonathan Riddle	130,627	36%
	Independent	Brian Merlen	5,656	1%
	Write-in	N/A	10	0%
Turnout			360,125	100%
	Democratic hold		Swing

List of members representing the district

Member (Residence)	Party	Years of Service	Cong ress(es)	Electoral history
Thomas T. Whittlesey (Danbury)	Democratic	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839	25th	Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1837. .[data unknown/missing]
Thomas B. Osborne (Fairfield)	Whig	March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1843	26th 27th	Elected in 1839. Re-elected in 1840. Retired.
Samuel Simons (Bridgeport)	Democratic	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845	28th	Elected in 1843. Retired.
Truman Smith (Stamford)	Whig	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1849	29th 30th	Elected in 1845. Re-elected in 1847. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
Thomas B. Butler (Norwalk)	Whig	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851	31st	Elected in 1849. Lost re-election.
Origen S. Seymour (Litchfield)	Democratic	March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1855	32nd 33rd	Elected in 1851. Re-elected in 1853. Retired to become judge of the Connecticut Superior Court.
William W. Welch (Norfolk)	American	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857	34th	Elected in 1855. Retired.
William D. Bishop (Bridgeport)	Democratic	March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859	35th	Elected in 1857. Lost re-election.
Orris S. Ferry (Norwalk)	Republican	March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861	36th	Elected in 1859. Lost re-election.
George C. Woodruff (Litchfield)	Democratic	March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863	37th	Elected in 1861. Lost re-election.
John Henry Hubbard (Litchfield)	Republican	March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1867	38th 39th	Elected in 1863. Re-elected in 1865. Lost re-election.
William Henry Barnum (Lime Rock)	Democratic	March 4, 1867 – May 18, 1876	40th 41st 42nd 43rd 44th	Elected in 1867. Re-elected in 1869. Re-elected in 1871. Re-elected in 1873. Re-elected in 1875. Resigned when elected U.S. senator.
Vacant		May 18, 1876 – November 7, 1876	44th
Levi Warner (Norwalk)	Democratic	November 7, 1876 – March 3, 1879	44th 45th	Elected to finish Barnum's term. Also elected to the next term in 1876. Retired.
Frederick Miles (Salisbury)	Republican	March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1883	46th 47th	Elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Retired.
Edward Woodruff Seymour (Litchfield)	Democratic	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887	48th 49th	Elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Retired.
Miles T. Granger (North Canaan)	Democratic	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1889	50th	Elected in 1886. Retired.
Frederick Miles (Salisbury)	Republican	March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1891	51st	Elected in 1888. Lost re-election.
Robert E. De Forest (Bridgeport)	Democratic	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1895	52nd 53rd	Elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Lost re-election.
Ebenezer J. Hill (Norwalk)	Republican	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1913	54th 55th 56th 57th 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd	Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-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. Lost re-election.
Jeremiah Donovan (Norwalk)	Democratic	March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915	63rd	Elected in 1912. Lost re-election.
Ebenezer J. Hill (Norwalk)	Republican	March 4, 1915 – September 27, 1917	64th 65th	Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Died.
Vacant		September 27, 1917 – November 6, 1917	65th
Schuyler Merritt (Stamford)	Republican	November 6, 1917 – March 3, 1931	65th 66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st	Elected to finish Hill's term. 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 re-election.
William L. Tierney (Greenwich)	Democratic	March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933	72nd	Elected in 1930. Lost re-election.
Schuyler Merritt (Stamford)	Republican	March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1937	73rd 74th	Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Lost re-election.
Alfred N. Phillips (Stamford)	Democratic	January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1939	75th	Elected in 1936. Lost re-election.
Albert E. Austin (Greenwich)	Republican	January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1941	76th	Elected in 1938. Lost re-election.
Le Roy D. Downs (Norwalk)	Democratic	January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943	77th	Elected in 1940. Lost re-election.
Clare Boothe Luce (Greenwich)	Republican	January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1947	78th 79th	Elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Retired.
John Davis Lodge (Westport)	Republican	January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1951	80th 81st	Elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Retired to run for Governor of Connecticut.
Albert P. Morano (Greenwich)	Republican	January 3, 1951 – January 3, 1959	82nd 83rd 84th 85th	Elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Lost re-election.
Donald J. Irwin (Norwalk)	Democratic	January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1961	86th	Elected in 1958. Lost re-election.
Abner W. Sibal (Norwalk)	Republican	January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1965	87th 88th	Elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Lost re-election.
Donald J. Irwin (Norwalk)	Democratic	January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1969	89th 90th	Elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Lost re-election.
Lowell Weicker (Greenwich)	Republican	January 3, 1969 – January 3, 1971	91st	Elected in 1968. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
Stewart McKinney (Fairfield)	Republican	January 3, 1971 – May 7, 1987	92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th	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. Died.
Vacant		May 7, 1987 – August 18, 1987	100th
Christopher Shays (Bridgeport)	Republican	August 18, 1987 – January 3, 2009	100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th	Elected to finish McKinney's term. 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. Lost re-election.
Jim Himes (Cos Cob)	Democratic	January 3, 2009 – Present	111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th	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.

Historical district boundaries

2003–2013

References

Notes

"My Congressional District".
"Introducing the 2021 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index". The Cook Political Report. April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
"Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 30, 2012" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2006. Retrieved October 30, 2012.

Bibliography

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

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[1] "My Congressional District".

[Cook-2] "Introducing the 2021 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index". The Cook Political Report. April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021.

[3] "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 30, 2012" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2006. Retrieved October 30, 2012.