Maryland's 5th congressional district explained

State:	Maryland
District Number:	5
Image Caption:	Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative:	Steny Hoyer
Party:	Democratic
Residence:	Mechanicsville
English Area:	1,504.25
Percent Urban:	74.19
Percent Rural:	25.81
Population:	789,972
Population Year:	2022
Median Income:	$121,284^[1]
Percent White:	43.7
Percent Hispanic:	7.2
Percent Black:	39.8
Percent Asian:	3.1
Percent More Than One Race:	5.3
Percent Other Race:	0.9
Percent Blue Collar:	18.8
Percent White Collar:	68
Percent Gray Collar:	12.9
Cpvi:	D+15^[2]

Maryland's 5th congressional district comprises all of Charles, St. Mary's, and Calvert counties (a region known as Southern Maryland), as well as portions of Prince George's and Anne Arundel counties. The district is currently represented by Democrat Steny Hoyer, who from 2007 to 2011 and from 2019 to 2023 was House Majority Leader.

When it was defined in 1788, the 5th Congressional District centered on Salisbury, Maryland. It consisted of the current Maryland counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester. In 1792 the boundaries of Maryland's congressional districts were redrawn, and the 5th District was made to include Baltimore and Baltimore County.

This district is safely Democratic, and has been in Democratic hands uninterrupted since the retirement of Lawrence Hogan (father of future Governor of Maryland Larry Hogan) in 1975. He was succeeded by Gladys Spellman, who served from 1975 until the seat was declared vacant by the House due to her falling into a coma in 1980. Hoyer won a special election that year to complete her term, and has held the seat since.^[3] ^[4]

Recent statewide election results

Year	Results
2000		Gore 57% – 41%
2004		Kerry 57% – 42%
2008		Obama 65% – 33%
2012		Obama 66% – 32%
2016		Clinton 63% – 32%
2020		Biden 69% – 30%

Recent elections

2020s

List of members representing the district

1789–1803: one seat

Name	Years	Cong ress	Party
District created March 4, 1789
align=left	George Gale	nowrap	March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1791	Pro-Administration	Elected in 1789. Lost re-election.
align=left	William Vans Murray	nowrap	March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793	Pro-Administration	Elected in 1790. Redistricted to the .
align=left	Samuel Smith	nowrap	March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1803	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1792. Re-elected in 1794. Re-elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798. Re-elected in 1801. Retired to run for U.S. Senate.

1803–1833: two seats

From 1803 to 1833, two seats were apportioned, elected at-large on a general ticket.

Con- gress	Years	Seat A			Seat B
Con- gress	Years	Member	Party	Electoral history	Member	Party	Electoral history
	nowrap	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805	Nicholas R. Moore	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1803. Re-elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Lost re-election.	William McCreery	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1803. Re-elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Retired.
	nowrap	March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1807
	nowrap	March 4, 1807 – March 3, 1809
	nowrap	March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1811	Alexander McKim	Democratic-Republican		Elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Re-elected in 1812. Retired.
	nowrap	March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813	align=left	Peter Little			Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1810. Lost re-election.
	nowrap	March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1815	Nicholas R. Moore	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Resigned.
	nowrap	March 4, 1815 – ????, 1815	William Pinkney	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Resigned.	Elected in 1814. Resigned to become U.S. Minister Plenipotentiary to Russia.
	nowrap	???, 1815 – February 4, 1816	Vacant
	nowrap	February 4, 1816 – April 18, 1816	Samuel Smith	Democratic-Republican	Elected January 27, 1816 to finish Moore's term and seated February 4, 1816. Re-elected later in 1816. Re-elected in 1818. Re-elected in 1820. Re-elected in 1822, but resigned when elected U.S. Senator.
	nowrap	April 18, 1816 – December 2, 1816	Vacant
	nowrap	December 2, 1816 – March 3, 1817	Peter Little	Democratic-Republican		Elected September 3, 1816 to finish Pinkney's term and seated December 2, 1816. Re-elected later in 1816. Re-elected in 1818. Re-elected in 1820. Re-elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1826. Lost re-election.
	nowrap	March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1819
	nowrap	March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1821
	nowrap	March 4, 1821 – December 17, 1822
	nowrap	December 17, 1822 – January 4, 1823	Vacant
	nowrap	January 4, 1823 – March 3, 1823	Isaac McKim	Democratic-Republican	Elected to finish Smith's term and seated January 8, 1823. Also elected to finish Smith's term in the next Congress. Lost re-election.
	nowrap	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825
	nowrap	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827	John Barney	Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1826. Lost re-election.		Anti-Jacksonian
	nowrap	March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1829			Elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1826. Lost re-election.
	nowrap	March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831	align=left	Elias Brown		Jacksonian	Elected in 1829. Lost re-election.	Benjamin C. Howard	Jacksonian	Elected in 1829. Re-elected in 1831.
	nowrap	March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833	align=left	John T. H. Worthington		Jacksonian	Elected in 1831.			Elected in 1829. Re-elected in 1831.

1833–present: one seat

Member	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history	Location
align=left	Isaac McKim		Jacksonian	nowrap	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835	Elected in 1833. Redistricted to the .
align=left	George C. Washington		Anti-Jacksonian	nowrap	March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837	Elected in 1835.
align=left	William C. Johnson		Whig	nowrap	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1843	Elected in 1837. Re-elected in 1839. Re-elected in 1841.
align=left	Jacob A. Preston		Whig	nowrap	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845	Elected late in 1844.
align=left	Albert Constable		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847	Elected in 1845.
align=left	Alexander Evans		Whig	nowrap	March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1853	Elected in 1847. Re-elected in 1849. Re-elected in 1851.
align=left	Henry May		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855	Elected in 1853.
align=left	Henry W. Hoffman		Know Nothing	nowrap	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857	Elected in 1855.
align=left	Jacob M. Kunkel		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1861	Elected in 1857. Re-elected in 1859.
align=left	Francis Thomas		Union	nowrap	March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863	Elected in 1861. Redistricted to the .
align=left	Benjamin G. Harris		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1867	Elected in 1863. Re-elected in 1864.
align=left	Frederick Stone		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1871	Elected in 1866. Re-elected in 1868.
align=left	William M. Merrick		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873	Elected in 1870.
align=left	William J. Albert		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875	Elected in 1872.
align=left	Eli J. Henkle		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1881	Elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878.
align=left	Andrew G. Chapman		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883	Elected in 1880. Lost re-election.
align=left	Hart Benton Holton		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885	Elected in 1882.
align=left	Barnes Compton		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1885 – March 20, 1890	Elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Lost election contest.
align=left	Sydney E. Mudd I		Republican	nowrap	March 20, 1890 – March 3, 1891	Successfully contested election.
align=left	Barnes Compton		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1891 – May 15, 1894	Elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Resigned.
Vacant		nowrap	May 15, 1894 – November 6, 1894
align=left	Charles E. Coffin		Republican	nowrap	November 6, 1894 – March 3, 1897	Elected to finish Compton's term. Re-elected in 1894.
align=left	Sydney E. Mudd I		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1911	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.
align=left	Thomas Parran Sr.		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1913	Elected in 1910.
align=left	Frank O. Smith		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915	Elected in 1912.
align=left	Sydney E. Mudd II		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1915 – October 11, 1924	Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	October 11, 1924 – November 4, 1924
align=left	Stephen W. Gambrill		Democratic	nowrap	November 4, 1924 – December 19, 1938	Elected to finish Mudd's term. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	December 19, 1938 – February 3, 1939
align=left	Lansdale Sasscer		Democratic	nowrap	February 3, 1939 – January 3, 1953	Elected to finish Gambrill's term. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950.
align=left	Frank Small Jr.		Republican	nowrap	January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1955	Elected in 1952.
align=left	Richard E. Lankford		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1965	Elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962.
align=left	Hervey G. Machen		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1969	Elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966.
align=left	Lawrence Hogan		Republican	nowrap	January 3, 1969 – January 3, 1975	Elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Retired to run for Governor.
align=left	Gladys Spellman		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 1975 – February 24, 1981	Elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Seat declared vacant for health reasons.
Vacant		nowrap	February 24, 1981 – May 19, 1981
Steny Hoyer	Democratic	May 19, 1981 – present		Elected to finish Spellman's term. 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. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022.
1983–1993
1993–2003
2003–2013
2013–2023
2023–present

Sources

Archives of Maryland Historical List United States Representatives Maryland State Archives
Book: Martis, Kenneth C.. The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. 1989. Macmillan Publishing Company. New York.
Book: Martis, Kenneth C.. The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. 1982. Macmillan Publishing Company. New York.
Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present

38.55°N -76.95°W

Notes and References

Web site: My Congressional District.
Web site: 2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List . The Cook Political Report . July 12, 2022 . October 8, 2022 .
Web site: Biographies - Gladys Noon Spellman . 2024-05-15 . msa.maryland.gov.
Web site: Steny Hoyer, Representative for Maryland's 5th Congressional District . 2024-05-15 . GovTrack.us . en.