Florida's 16th congressional district

Florida's 16th congressional district
Florida's 16th congressional district - since January 3, 2013.
Current Representative		Vern Buchanan (R–Sarasota)
Cook PVI	R+5

Florida's 16th congressional district is an electoral district for the U.S. Congress and was reassigned in 2012, effective January 2013, to western Manatee County, Florida and Sarasota County.^[1][2] The district stretches from Bradenton, the County Seat, in Manatee County to North Port, in Sarasota County, the county's youngest and most populous incorporated city. The city of Sarasota is the County Seat of Sarasota County.

The former 16th district in 2003–2012 stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Coast and included parts of Charlotte, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach counties. Included within the district were Port Charlotte, Port St. Lucie, and Palm Beach.

The district is currently represented by Republican Vern Buchanan.

History

When the Florida legislature redistricted in 2002 after the 2000 U.S. Census, a federal court described the boundaries of the 16th Congressional District and the interlocking 23rd Congressional District as an example of gerrymandering and a "raw exercise of majority legislative power."^[3]

Voting

List of representatives

Representative	Party	Years	Congress	Note
District created		January 3, 1983
Lawrence Smith	Democratic	January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993	98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd	Retired
Tom Lewis	Republican	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1995	103rd	Redistricted from the 12th district, Retired
Mark Foley	Republican	January 3, 1995 – September 29, 2006	104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th	Resigned
Vacant		September 29, 2006 – January 3, 2007	109th
Tim Mahoney	Democratic	January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009	110th	Lost re-election
Tom Rooney	Republican	January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2013	111th 112th	Redistricted to the 17th district
Vern Buchanan	Republican	January 3, 2013 – present	113th	Redistricted from the 13th district

Election Results

2002

2004

2006

• The seat became vacant after Foley's sudden resignation on September 29, 2006, after it became public that he had sent inappropriate emails to male teenage former congressional pages.^[4] Foley's resignation occurred too late under Florida law to take his name off the ballot. Therefore, Foley's name remained on the ballot, but votes cast for him went to his replacement, State Representative Joe Negron, who would have been duly elected had Foley won the November 7, 2006 election.^[5] Since Mahoney won the election, the question did not arise.^[6]

2008

• Incumbent Tim Mahoney ran for reelection in 2008. His opponent was Tom Rooney, a former JAG officer, Special Assistant United States Attorney, and professor at the United States Military Academy. Rooney is also the grandson of the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers. While Mahoney was initially favored, after the scandal involving his mistress, the race shifted toward "likely Republican" on the Cook Political Report.

2010

Historical district boundaries

2003 - 2013 The former 16th district contained other southeastern Florida counties.

References

1. ^ See whole Florida state map for 2013, with the 16th district in western Manatee County and Sarasota County, Florida: h9047_35x42L.pdf Congressional Plan: H000C9047. Chapter No. 2012-2, Laws of Florida. www.flsenate.gov. February 16, 2012.
2. ^ See 2013 borders of 16th district in the 2013 districts map: H000C9047_map_sw.pdf, for the southwest region of Florida. Congressional Plan: H000C9047. Chapter No. 2012-2, Laws of Florida. www.flsenate.gov. February 2012.
3. ^ Martinez v. Bush, 234 F.Supp.2d 1275, S.D.Fla., December 3, 2002 senate.mn
4. ^ Foley Resigns From Congress Over E-Mails, Guardian Unlimited; Florida Republican Foley Resigns From U.S. House Seat, Bloomberg.com
5. ^ GOP Regroups After Foley's Departure, CBS News
6. ^ U.S. House District 16: Mahoney fends off Negron

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

External links

• 2000 Census Data
• OpenSecrets.org's summary of spending for the 2006 race