New York's 2nd congressional district explained

State:	New York
District Number:	2
Image Caption:	Interactive map of district boundaries
Representative:	Andrew Garbarino
Party:	Republican
Residence:	Bayport
Percent Urban:	99.89
Percent Rural:	0.11
Population:	775,081^[1]
Population Year:	2022
Median Income:	$113,994^[2]
Percent White:	55.8
Percent Hispanic:	27.7
Percent Black:	9.7
Percent Asian:	3.3
Percent More Than One Race:	2.6
Percent Other Race:	0.9
Cpvi:	R+3^[3]

New York's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives along the South Shore of Long Island, New York. It includes southwestern Suffolk County and a small portion of southeastern Nassau County. The district is currently represented by Republican Andrew Garbarino.

From 2003 to 2013 it included all of the town of Huntington and parts of the towns of Babylon, Islip and Smithtown in Suffolk County as well as part of the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County. It comprised such communities as Bay Shore, Brentwood, Central Islip, Commack, Deer Park, Dix Hills, Huntington, Melville, North Amityville, Northport, Oakdale, Plainview, Ronkonkoma, Sayville and Wyandanch. Much of this area is now the 3rd congressional district, while most of the territory currently in the 2nd district was located in the 3rd district.

According to the APM Research Lab's Voter Profile Tools (featuring the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey), the district contained about 512,000 potential voters (citizens, age 18+). Of these, 68% are White, 17% Latino, and 10% Black. Immigrants make up 15% of the district's potential voters. The median income among households (with one or more potential voter) in the district is about $109,400. As for the educational attainment of potential voters in the district, 32% hold a bachelor's or higher degree.

Composition

Nassau County communities in the 2nd district include Oyster Bay and East Massapequa. Suffolk County communities include Amityville, Babylon, Lindenhurst, Captree, Deer Park, East Farmingdale, Gilgo, North Amityville, North Babylon, North Lindenhurst, Oak Beach, West Babylon, Wheatley Heights, Wyandanch, Copiague Harbor, Brightwaters, Islandia, Ocean Beach, Saltaire, Bay Shore, Bayport, Baywood, Bohemia, Brentwood, Central Islip, East Islip, Great River, Hauppauge, Holbrook, Holtsville, Islip, Islip Terrace, Kismet, Lake Ronkonkoma, Lonelyville, North Bay Shore, North Great River, Oakdale, Ronkonkoma, Sayville, West Bay Shore, West Islip, West Sayville, Dunewood, Fair Harbor, Blue Point, Patchogue, East Patchogue, North Patchogue, Medford, Hagerman, North Bellport, Bellport, Brookhaven, South Haven, Shirley, Mastic, Mastic Beach, Moriches, East Moriches, Center Moriches, Manorville, Eastport, Davis Park, Water Island, Fire Island Pines, Cherry Grove, Point O'Woods, and Ocean Bay Park.

Recent statewide election results

Election results from presidential races
Year	Office	Results
1992	President	Bush 40–40%
1996	President	Clinton 54–34%
2000	President	Gore 57–39%
2004	President	Kerry 53–45%
2008	President	Obama 51–48%
2012	President	Obama 52–47%
2016	President	Trump 53–44%
2020	President	Trump 51–47%

List of members representing the district

1789–1805: one seat

Representative	Party	Cong ress	Electoral history
District established March 4, 1789
align=left	John Laurance	Pro-Administration	nowrap	March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1793	Elected in 1789. Re-elected in 1790. Retired.
align=left	John Watts	Pro-Administration	nowrap	March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1795	Elected in 1793. Lost re-election.
align=left	Edward Livingston	Democratic- Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1801	Elected in 1794. Re-elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798.
align=left	Samuel L. Mitchill	Democratic- Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803	Elected in 1800. Redistricted to the .
align=left	Joshua Sands	Federalist	nowrap	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805	Elected in 1802. Retired.

1805–1809: two seats on general ticket with 3rd district

Gurdon S. Mumford is usually listed as member from the 2nd district, and George Clinton Jr. from the 3rd district, because Clinton was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Mitchill to the U.S. Senate, and Mitchill had been elected previously in the 3rd district. However, in 1804 Mitchill was already re-elected on the 2nd/3rd general ticket, and both Clinton and Mumford were elected in special elections, receiving votes in both districts.

The districts were separated in 1809.

1809–1823: two seats

From 1809 to 1823, two seats were apportioned to the second district, elected at-large on a general ticket.

Cong ress	Years	Seat A			Seat B
Cong ress	Years	Representative	Party	Electoral history	Representative	Party	Electoral history
	nowrap	March 4, 1809 – 1810	Gurdon S. Mumford	Democratic-Republican	Re-elected in 1808.	align=left	William Denning		Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1808. Never took his seat resigned.
	nowrap	1810 – December 4, 1810	Vacant
	nowrap	December 4, 1810 – March 3, 1811	Samuel L. Mitchill	Democratic-Republican		Elected April 24–26, 1810 to finish Denning's term and seated December 4, 1810. Also elected the same day in 1810 to the next term.
	nowrap	March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813	align=left	William Paulding Jr.			Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1810.
	nowrap	March 4, 1813 – August 2, 1813	align=left	Egbert Benson		Federalist	Elected in 1812. Resigned.	Jotham Post Jr.	Federalist	Elected in 1812.
	nowrap	August 2, 1813 – January 22, 1814	Vacant
	nowrap	January 22, 1814 – March 3, 1815	William Irving	Democratic-Republican	Elected December 28–30, 1813 to finish Benson's term and was seated January 22, 1814. Re-elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816.
	nowrap	March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817	Peter H. Wendover	Democratic-Republican		Elected in 1814. Re-elected in 1816. Re-elected in 1818.
	nowrap	March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1819
	nowrap	March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1821	align=left	Henry Meigs			Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1818.
	nowrap	March 4, 1821 – December 3, 1821	Elections were held in April 1821. It is unclear when results were announced or credentials issued.
	nowrap	December 3, 1821 – March 3, 1823	align=left	Churchill C. Cambreleng	Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1821. Redistricted to the .		align=left	John J. Morgan		Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1821. Redistricted to the .

1823–present: one seat

Member	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history	District location
align=left	Jacob Tyson		Democratic-Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825		Elected in 1822.	1823–1833 Parts of Kings county
align=left	Joshua Sands		Anti-Jacksonian	nowrap	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827		Elected in 1824.
align=left	John J. Wood		Jacksonian	nowrap	March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1829		Elected in 1826. Retired.
align=left	Jacob Crocheron		Jacksonian	nowrap	March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831		Elected in 1828.
align=left	John T. Bergen		Jacksonian	nowrap	March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833		Elected in 1830.
align=left	Isaac B. Van Houten		Jacksonian	nowrap	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835		Elected in 1832.	1833–1843 Parts of Kings county
align=left	Samuel Barton		Jacksonian	nowrap	March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837		Elected in 1834.
align=left	Abraham Vanderveer		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839		Elected in 1836.
align=left	James De la Montanya		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841		Elected in 1838.
align=left	Joseph Egbert		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843		Elected in 1840.
align=left	Henry C. Murphy		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845		Elected in 1842.	1843–1853 Parts of Kings county
align=left	Henry J. Seaman		Know Nothing	nowrap	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847		Elected in 1844.
align=left	Henry C. Murphy		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849		Elected in 1846.
align=left	David A. Bokee		Whig	nowrap	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851		Elected in 1848.
align=left	Obadiah Bowne		Whig	nowrap	March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853		Elected in 1850.
align=left	Thomas W. Cumming		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855		Elected in 1852.	1853–1863 Parts of Kings county
align=left	James S.T. Stranahan		Opposition	nowrap	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857		Elected in 1854.
align=left	George Taylor		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859		Elected in 1856.
align=left	James Humphrey		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861		Elected in 1858.
align=left	Moses F. Odell		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863		Elected in 1860.
align=left	Martin Kalbfleisch		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1865		Elected in 1862.	1863–1873 Parts of Kings county
align=left	Teunis G. Bergen		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1867		Elected in 1864.
align=left	Demas Barnes		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1869		Elected in 1866.
align=left	John G. Schumaker		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1871		Elected in 1868.
align=left	Thomas Kinsella		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873		Elected in 1870.
align=left	John G. Schumaker		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1877		Elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874.	1873–1883 Parts of Kings county
align=left	William D. Veeder		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879		Elected in 1876.
align=left	Daniel O'Reilly		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881		Elected in 1878.
William E. Robinson	Democratic	March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1885		Elected in 1880. Re-elected in 1882.
1883–1885 Parts of Kings county				Elected in 1880. Re-elected in 1882.
align=left	Felix Campbell		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888.	1885–1893 Kings County (partial)^[4]
align=left	David A. Boody		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1891 – October 13, 1891		Elected in 1890. Resigned to become railroad commissioner of New York State.
Vacant		nowrap	October 13, 1891 – November 3, 1891
align=left	Alfred C. Chapin		Democratic	nowrap	November 3, 1891 – November 16, 1892		Elected to finish Boody's term. Resigned.
Vacant		nowrap	November 16, 1892 – March 3, 1893
align=left	John M. Clancy		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1892.	1893–1903 Kings County (partial)^[5]
align=left	Denis M. Hurley		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1895 – February 26, 1899		Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	February 26, 1899 – March 3, 1899
align=left	John J. Fitzgerald		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1903		Elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Redistricted to the .
align=left	George H. Lindsay		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1913		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910.	1903–1913 Kings County (partial)^[6]
align=left	Denis O'Leary		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1913 – December 31, 1914		Elected in 1912. Resigned.	1913–1933 Parts of Queens county
Vacant		nowrap	December 31, 1914 – March 3, 1915
align=left	C. Pope Caldwell		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1921		Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918.
align=left	John J. Kindred		Democratic	nowrap	March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1929		Elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926.
William F. Brunner	Democratic	March 4, 1929 – September 27, 1935		Elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Resigned upon election as sheriff of Queens County.
1933–1945 Parts of Queens county
	Vacant		nowrap	September 27, 1935 – November 5, 1935
	align=left	William B. Barry		Democratic	nowrap	November 5, 1935 – January 3, 1945		Elected to finish Brunner's term. Re-elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Redistricted to the .
align=left	Leonard W. Hall		Republican	nowrap	January 3, 1945 – December 31, 1952		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Resigned to become Chairman of the Republican National Committee.	1945–1953 Parts of Nassau county
Vacant		nowrap	December 31, 1952 – January 3, 1953					1945–1953 Parts of Nassau county
align=left	Steven Derounian		Republican	nowrap	January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1963		Elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Redistricted to the .	1953–1963 Parts of Nassau county
James R. Grover Jr.	Republican	January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1975		Elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Lost re-election.	1963–1973 Parts of Nassau, Suffolk counties
1973–1983 Parts of Suffolk county
1973–1983 Parts of Suffolk county	Thomas J. Downey	Democratic	January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1993		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. Lost re-election.
1983–1993 Parts of Suffolk county
align=left	Rick Lazio		Republican	nowrap	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2001		Elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Retired to run for U.S. senator.	1993 – 2003 Parts of Suffolk county
Steve Israel	Democratic	January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2013		Elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Redistricted to the .				1993 – 2003 Parts of Suffolk county
2003–2013 Parts of Nassau, Suffolk counties
align=left	Peter T. King		Republican	nowrap	January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2021		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Retired.	2013–2023 Parts of Nassau, Suffolk counties
Andrew Garbarino	Republican	January 3, 2021 – present		Elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022.				2013–2023 Parts of Nassau, Suffolk counties
2023–2025 Parts of Nassau, Suffolk counties
2025–present Parts of Nassau, Suffolk counties -->

Recent election results

New York election law allows for fusion voting, where a candidate can run as a member of multiple parties. The pooled vote totals for candidates are listed first, and the split of the votes among the parties they ran as is listed beneath. See below for blank, void, and scattering notes.*

! colspan=2
Democrat	Votes	Pct	Republican		Votes	Pct	3rd Party		Party	Votes	Pct
2000	Steve Israel	align=right	90,438		48%	Joan B. Johnson	align=right	65,880		35%	Robert Walsh		Right to Life	align=right	11,224	align=right	6%
				Democratic	align=right	90,438						Republican	align=right	65,880			Richard N. Thompson	Conservative	align=right	10,824	align=right	6%
			David A. Bishop	align=right	10,266	align=right	5%
		Independence	align=right	7,595
	Green	align=right	1,404
	Working Families	align=right	1,267
2002	Steve Israel	align=right	85,451		58%	Joseph P. Finley	align=right	59,117		40%	John Keenan		Green	align=right	1,558	align=right	1%
			Democratic	align=right	75,845					Republican	align=right	48,239
		Independence	align=right	7,632				Conservative	align=right	5,772
		Working Families	align=right	1,974				Right to Life	align=right	5,106
2004	Steve Israel	align=right	161,593		67%	Richard Hoffmann	align=right	80,950		33%
			Democratic	align=right	147,197					Republican	align=right	72,953
		Independence	align=right	9,508	align=right			Conservative	align=right	7,997	align=right
		Working Families	align=right	4,888	align=right
2006	Steve Israel	align=right	105,276		70%	John W. Bugler	align=right	44,212		30%
			Democratic	align=right	94,100					Republican	align=right	37,671
		Independence	align=right	7,443	align=right			Conservative	align=right	6,541	align=right
		Working Families	align=right	3,733	align=right
2008	Steve Israel	align=right	161,279		67%	Frank J. Stalzer	align=right	79,641		33%
			Democratic	align=right	143,759					Republican	align=right	70,145
		Independence	align=right	11,900	align=right			Conservative	align=right	9,496	align=right
		Working Families	align=right	5,620	align=right
2010	Steve Israel	align=right	94,694		56%	John Gomez	align=right	72,115		43%	Anthony Tolda		CST	align=right	1,258	align=right	1%
			Democratic	align=right	84,211					Republican	align=right	53,747
		Independence	align=right	6,353				Conservative	align=right	13,525
		Working Families	align=right	4,130
2012	Vivianne Falcone	align=right	92,060		41%	Peter T. King	align=right	131,091		59%
2014	Patricia Maher	align=right	40,009		28%	Peter T. King	align=right	91,701		65%
2016	Du Wayne Gregory	align=right	110,938		38%	Peter T. King	align=right	181,506		62%
2018	Liuba Grechen Shirley	align=right	106,996		45%	Peter T. King	align=right	122,103		53%
			Democratic	align=right	102,977					Republican	align=right	107,495
		Women's Equality	align=right	1,371				Conservative	align=right	11,742
		Working Families	align=right	2,648			align=right	Independence		2,417
2020	Jackie Gordon	align=right	154,123		46%	Andrew Garbarino	align=right	177,353		53%	Harry Burger		Green	align=right	3,446	align=right	1%

Blank, void, and write-in candidate ("scattering") notes: In 2000, there were 37,596 BVS votes; in 2002, 14,087; in 2004, 40,937; and in 2006, 14,101. Since 2008, results were separated out, and there were 54,163 blank votes; 10 void ballots; and 12 votes cast for write-in candidates. In 2010, 7,104 were blank votes; 93 were void ballots; and thirty were votes cast for write-in candidates.

References

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
National atlas congressional maps

Notes and References

Web site: New York congressional districts by urban and rural population and land area. June 8, 2017. United States Census Bureau. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20191121071056/https://www2.census.gov/geo/relfiles/cdsld13/36/ur_cd_36.txt. November 21, 2019. October 5, 2023.
Web site: My Congressional District.
Web site: 2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List. The Cook Political Report. July 12, 2022. January 10, 2023.
Book: United States Congressional Districts, 1883-1913. 9780313264825. Parsons. Stanley B.. Dubin. Michael J.. Parsons. Karen Toombs. 1990 . 89. Bloomsbury Academic.
Book: United States Congressional Districts, 1883-1913. 9780313264825. Parsons. Stanley B.. Dubin. Michael J.. Parsons. Karen Toombs. 1990 . 247. Bloomsbury Academic .
Book: United States Congressional Districts, 1883-1913. 9780313264825. Parsons. Stanley B.. Dubin. Michael J.. Parsons. Karen Toombs. 1990 . 382. Bloomsbury Academic .