Kentucky's 4th congressional district

Kentucky's 4th congressional district
Kentucky's 4th congressional district
	Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative	Thomas Massie; R–Garrison
Distribution	68.2% urban; 31.8% rural;
Population (2023)	768,776
Median household; income	$77,227
Ethnicity	86.6% White; 4.2% Hispanic; 4.1% Two or more races; 3.4% Black; 1.1% Asian; 0.5% other;
Cook PVI	R+19

Kentucky's 4th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Located in the northeastern portion of the state, it is a long district that follows the Ohio River. However, the district is dominated by its far western portion, comprising the eastern suburbs of Louisville and Northern Kentucky, the Kentucky side of the Cincinnati area. It is the richest congressional district in the state of Kentucky.^[4]

The majority of voters live in the suburban Cincinnati counties of Boone, Kenton, and Campbell, which includes such suburbs as Fort Mitchell, Covington, Florence, Newport, and Fort Thomas. The next-largest population center is the northeastern suburbs of Louisville. It stretches as far south as northern portions of the city of Bardstown.

The district is currently represented by Republican Thomas Massie, who was elected in a special election in 2012 to succeed Republican Geoff Davis, who resigned on July 31, 2012, citing family concerns.

Characteristics

The 4th was one of the first areas of Kentucky to turn Republican outside of traditionally Republican south-central Kentucky; it has been in GOP hands for all but six years since 1967. Its politics are dominated by Republicans in the wealthy Cincinnati suburbs, which have swelled with former Cincinnati residents since the early 1960s. Between them, Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties have as many people as the rest of the district combined. As a measure of how much the Cincinnati suburbs have dominated the district, when Massie took office, he became the first congressman from the district's eastern portion in 45 years. Nonetheless, Democrats still hold state and local offices in rural counties.

Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 2023^[5]
Party		Number of voters	Percentage
	Republican	307,967	50.38%
	Democratic	225,095	36.82%
	Other	46,963	7.68%
	Independent	31,255	5.11%
Total		611,280	100%

Until January 1, 2006, Kentucky did not track party affiliation for registered voters who were neither Democratic nor Republican.^[6] The Kentucky voter registration card does not explicitly list anything other than Democratic Party, Republican Party, or Other, with the "Other" option having a blank line and no instructions on how to register as something else.^[7]

Recent statewide elections

Election results from statewide races
Year	Office	Results
2000	President	Bush 61–37%
2004	President	Bush 63–36%
2008	President	McCain 60–38%
2012	President	Romney 63–35%
2016	President	Trump 65–33%
2016	Senate	Paul 66–34%
2019	Governor	Bevin 53–45%
2019	Attorney General	Cameron 63–37%
2020	President	Trump 65–33%
2020	Senate	McConnell 61–35%
2022	Senate	Paul 66–34%
2023	Governor	Cameron 52–48%

Composition

#	County	Seat	Population
15	Boone	Burlington	140,496
23	Bracken	Brooksville	8,426
37	Campbell	Alexandria, Newport	93,702
41	Carroll	Carrollton	10,987
43	Carter	Grayson	26,366
77	Gallatin	Warsaw	8,792
81	Grant	Williamstown	25,619
89	Greenup	Greenup	35,221
97	Harrison	Cynthiana	19,415
103	Henry	Oldham	15,973
117	Kenton	Covington, Independence	171,321
135	Lewis	Vanceburg	12,973
161	Mason	Maysville	16,841
179	Nelson	Bardstown	47,730
185	Oldham	La Grange	70,183
187	Owen	Owenton	11,313
191	Pendleton	Falmouth	14,810
201	Robertson	Mount Olivet	2,313
211	Shelby	Shelbyville	49,515
215	Spencer	Taylorsville	20,531
223	Trimble	Bedford	8,607

Cities of 10,000 or more people

Covington – 40,956
Florence – 32,618
Independence – 29,326
Erlanger – 19,756
Shelbyville – 17,565
Burlington – 17,318
Fort Thomas – 17,133
Newport – 13,901
Bardstown – 13,739
Alexandria – 10,570
La Grange – 10,295

2,500 – 10,000 people

Francisville – 9,952
Oakbrook – 9,268
Elsmere – 9,148
Maysville – 8,742
Fort Mitchell – 8,653
Edgewood – 8,398
Union – 7,592
Villa Hills – 7,435
Flatwoods – 7,243
Taylor Mill – 6,846
Cynthiana – 6,441
Highland Heights – 6,418
Cold Spring – 6,353
Crestwood – 6,350
Hebron – 6,195
Fort Wright – 5,819
Buckner – 5,785
Dayton – 5,749
Bellevue – 5,630
Walton – 5,576
Prospect – 4,565
Crescent Springs – 4,450
Ludlow – 4,343
Crittenden – 4,091
Williamstown – 3,955
Carrollton – 3,909
Southgate – 3,717
Russell – 3,669
Crestview Hills – 3,223
Park Hills – 3,155
Wilder – 3,123
Simpsonville – 3,028
Claryville – 2,992
Lakeside Park – 2,823
Eminence – 2,715

List of members representing the district

Member	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history	Location
District created March 4, 1803
Thomas Sandford	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1807	8th 9th	Elected in 1803. Re-elected in 1804. Lost re-election.	1803–1813 Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Franklin, Gallatin, Harrison, Henry, Pendleton, Scott, and Shelby counties
Richard M. Johnson (Great Crossings)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1807 – March 3, 1813	10th 11th 12th	Elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Redistricted to the 3rd district.
Joseph Desha (Mays Lick)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1819	13th 14th 15th	Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816. Retired.	1813–1823 Bourbon, Bracken, Lewis, Mason, and Nicholas counties
Thomas Metcalfe (Carlisle)	Democratic-Republican	March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1823	16th 17th	Elected in 1818. Re-elected in 1820. Redistricted to the 2nd district.
Robert P. Letcher (Lancaster)	Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican	March 3, 1823 – March 3, 1825	18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd	Elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1827. Re-elected in 1829. Re-elected in 1831. Redistricted to the 5th district.	1823–1833 Clay, Estill, Garrard, Harlan, Knox, Madison, Perry, Rockcastle, and Whitley counties
Robert P. Letcher (Lancaster)	Anti-Jacksonian	March 3, 1825 – March 3, 1833	18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd
Martin Beaty (South Fork)	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835	23rd	Elected in 1833. Lost re-election.	1833–1843 [data missing]
Sherrod Williams (Monticello)	Anti-Jacksonian	March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837	24th 25th 26th	Elected in 1835. Re-elected in 1837. Re-elected in 1839. Retired.
Sherrod Williams (Monticello)	Whig	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1841	24th 25th 26th
Bryan Owsley (Jamestown)	Whig	March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843	27th	Elected in 1841. Lost re-election.
George Caldwell (Columbia)	Democratic	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845	28th	Elected in 1843. Retired.	1843–1853 [data missing]
Joshua F. Bell (Danville)	Whig	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847	29th	Elected in 1845. Retired.
Aylette Buckner (Greensburg)	Whig	March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849	30th	Elected in 1847. Lost re-election.
George Caldwell (Columbia)	Democratic	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851	31st	Elected in 1849. Retired.
William T. Ward (Greensburg)	Whig	March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853	32nd	Elected in 1851. Retired.
James Chrisman (Monticello)	Democratic	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855	33rd	Elected in 1853. Retired.	1853–1863 [data missing]
Albert G. Talbott (Danville)	Democratic	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1859	34th 35th	Elected in 1855. Re-elected in 1857. Retired.
William C. Anderson (Danville)	Opposition	March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861	36th	Elected in 1859. Retired to run for state representative.
Aaron Harding (Greensburg)	Union Democratic	March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1865	37th 38th 39th	Elected in 1861. Re-elected in 1863. Re-elected in 1865. Retired.
	Union Democratic	March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1865			1863–1873 [data missing]
	Democratic	March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1867
J. Proctor Knott (Lebanon)	Democratic	March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1871	40th 41st	Elected in 1867. Re-elected in 1868. Retired.
William B. Read (Hodgensville)	Democratic	March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1875	42nd 43rd	Elected in 1870. Re-elected in 1872. Lost renomination.
William B. Read (Hodgensville)	Democratic	March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1875	42nd 43rd	Elected in 1870. Re-elected in 1872. Lost renomination.	1873–1883 [data missing]
J. Proctor Knott (Lebanon)	Democratic	March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1883	44th 45th 46th 47th	Elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Retired.	1873–1883 [data missing]
Thomas A. Robertson (Elizabethtown)	Democratic	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887	48th 49th	Elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Lost renomination.	1883–1893 [data missing]
Alexander B. Montgomery (Elizabethtown)	Democratic	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. Lost re-election.	1883–1893 [data missing]
Alexander B. Montgomery (Elizabethtown)	Democratic	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1895	50th 51st 52nd 53rd		1893–1903 [data missing]
John W. Lewis (Springfield)	Republican	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897	54th	Elected in 1894. Lost re-election.
David H. Smith (Hodgensville)	Democratic	March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1907	55th 56th 57th 58th 59th	Elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Retired.
David H. Smith (Hodgensville)	Democratic	March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1907	55th 56th 57th 58th 59th		1903–1913 [data missing]
Ben Johnson (Bardstown)	Democratic	March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1927	60th 61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th 66th 67th 68th 69th	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. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Retired.	1903–1913 [data missing]
Ben Johnson (Bardstown)	Democratic	March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1927	60th 61st 62nd 63rd 64th 65th 66th 67th 68th 69th		1913 – 1933 [data missing]
Henry D. Moorman (Hardinsburg)	Democratic	March 4, 1927 – March 3, 1929	70th	Elected in 1926. Lost re-election.
John D. Craddock (Munfordville)	Republican	March 4, 1929 – March 3, 1931	71st	Elected in 1928. Lost re-election.
Cap R. Carden (Munfordville)	Democratic	March 4, 1931 – March 3, 1933	72nd	Elected in 1930. Redistricted to the at-large district.
District inactive		March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935	73rd	See Kentucky's at-large congressional district.
Cap R. Carden (Munfordville)	Democratic	March 4, 1935 – June 13, 1935	74th	Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1934. Died.	1935–1943 [data missing]
Vacant		June 13, 1935 – November 5, 1935	74th
Edward W. Creal (Hodgenville)	Democratic	November 5, 1935 – October 13, 1943	74th 75th 76th 77th 78th	Elected to finish Carden's term. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Died.
Edward W. Creal (Hodgenville)	Democratic	November 5, 1935 – October 13, 1943	74th 75th 76th 77th 78th		1943–1953 [data missing]
Vacant		October 13, 1943 – November 30, 1943	78th
Chester O. Carrier(Leitchfield)	Republican	November 30, 1943 – January 3, 1945	78th	Elected to finish Creal's term. Lost re-election.
Frank Chelf (Lebanon)	Democratic	January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1967	79th 80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th	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. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Lost re-election.
					1953–1963 [data missing]
					1963–1973 [data missing]
Gene Snyder (Brownsboro Farms)	Republican	January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1987	90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th	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. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Retired.	1963–1973 [data missing]
					1973–1983 [data missing]
					1983–1993 [data missing]
Jim Bunning (Southgate)	Republican	January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1999	100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th	Elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Retired to run for U.S. Senator.	1983–1993 [data missing]
Jim Bunning (Southgate)	Republican	January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1999	100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th		1993–2003 [data missing]
Ken Lucas (Florence)	Democratic	January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2005	106th 107th 108th	Elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Retired.	1993–2003 [data missing]
Ken Lucas (Florence)	Democratic	January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2005	106th 107th 108th		2003–2013
Geoff Davis (Hebron)	Republican	January 3, 2005 – July 31, 2012	109th 110th 111th 112th	Elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Resigned due to family health issues.
Vacant		July 31, 2012 – November 6, 2012	112th
Thomas Massie (Garrison)	Republican	November 6, 2012 – present	112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th	Elected to finish Davis's term. Elected to full term in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024.
					2013–2023
					2023–present

Recent election results

2002

Kentucky's 4th Congressional District Election (2002)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ken Lucas*	87,776	51.11
	Republican	Geoff Davis	81,651	47.55
	Libertarian	John Grote	2,308	1.34
Total votes			171,735	100.00
Turnout
	Democratic hold

2004

Kentucky's 4th Congressional District Election (2004)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Geoff Davis	160,982	54.40
	Democratic	Nick Clooney	129,876	43.89
	Independent	Michael Slider	5,069	1.71
Total votes			295,927	100.00
Turnout
	Republican gain from Democratic

2006

Kentucky's 4th Congressional District Election (2006)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Geoff Davis*	105,845	51.69
	Democratic	Ken Lucas	88,822	43.38
	Libertarian	Brian Houillion	10,100	4.93
Total votes			204,765	100.00
Turnout
	Republican hold

2008

Kentucky's 4th Congressional District Election (2008)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Geoff Davis*	190,210	63.03
	Democratic	Michael Kelley	111,549	36.97
Total votes			301,759	100.00
Turnout
	Republican hold

2010

Kentucky's 4th Congressional District Election (2010)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Geoff Davis*	151,774	69.48
	Democratic	John Waltz	66,675	30.52
Total votes			218,449	100.00
Turnout
	Republican hold

2012

Kentucky's 4th Congressional District Election (2012)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Thomas Massie	186,026	62.13
	Democratic	William Adkins	104,731	34.98
	Independent	David Lewis	8,673	2.90
Total votes			299,430	100.00
Turnout
	Republican hold

2014

Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, 2014
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Thomas Massie (Incumbent)	150,464	67.7
	Democratic	Peter Newberry	71,694	32.3
Total votes			222,158	100
	Republican hold

2016

Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, 2016
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Thomas Massie (Incumbent)	233,922	71.32
	Democratic	Calvin Sidle	94,065	28.68
Total votes			327,987	100
	Republican hold

2018

Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, 2018
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Thomas Massie (Incumbent)	162,946	62.2
	Democratic	Seth Hall	90,536	34.6
	Independent	Mike Moffett	8,318	2.2
	Independent	David Goodwin (write-in)	12	0.0
Total votes			261,812	100
	Republican hold

2020

Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, 2020
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Thomas Massie (Incumbent)	256,613	67.1
	Democratic	Alexandra Owensby	125,896	32.9
Total votes			382,509	100
	Republican hold

2022

Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, 2022
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Thomas Massie (incumbent)	167,541	65.0
	Democratic	Matthew Lehman	79,977	31.0
	Pirate Party	Ethan Osborne^[a]	10,111	3.9
Total votes			257,629	100.0
	Republican hold

References

^ "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (State-based) - Geography - U.S. Census Bureau". Archived from the original on July 17, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
^ ^a ^b Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov.
^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. July 12, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
^ Andrew DePietro (October 1, 2024). "The Richest Congressional Districts In Every State Of 2024". Forbes.
^ "Registration Statistics". Kentucky State Board of Elections. January 2022.
^ "Kentucky Administrative Regulations 31KAR4:150". Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. November 2005. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
^ "Register To Vote". Kentucky State Board of Elections. August 2003. Retrieved February 6, 2014.

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

38°33′57″N 84°25′40″W / 38.56583°N 84.42778°W / 38.56583; -84.42778

^ Appeared on the ballot as an independent.

[1] "Congressional Districts Relationship Files (State-based) - Geography - U.S. Census Bureau". Archived from the original on July 17, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2018.

[auto-2] Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov.

[Cook-3] "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. July 12, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2023.

[Andrew_DePietro-4] Andrew DePietro (October 1, 2024). "The Richest Congressional Districts In Every State Of 2024". Forbes.

[KYSBE-5] "Registration Statistics". Kentucky State Board of Elections. January 2022.

[31KAR4:150-6] "Kentucky Administrative Regulations 31KAR4:150". Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. November 2005. Retrieved February 6, 2014.

[KYvoterReg-7] "Register To Vote". Kentucky State Board of Elections. August 2003. Retrieved February 6, 2014.

[8] Appeared on the ballot as an independent.

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