Florida's 16th congressional district

Florida's 16th congressional district
Florida's 16th congressional district - since January 3, 2017
Representative	Vern Buchanan R–Sarasota
Area	1,664[1] sq mi (4,310 km2)
Distribution	94.26% urban[2] 5.74% rural
Population (2019)	873,875[3]
Median household income	$68,071[4]
Ethnicity	71.3% White 16.4% Hispanic 8.5% Black 1.9% Asian 1.4% Two or more races 0.5% other
Cook PVI	R+7[5]

Florida's 16th congressional district is an electoral district for the U.S. Congress and was reassigned in 2012, effective January 2013. The current borders of the district encompass southern Hillsborough County, the entirety of Manatee County, and northern Sarasota County.^[6][7] The district includes the metropolitan areas of Bradenton and Sarasota. The district is home to several colleges including New College of Florida, and major transportation hubs like Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport.

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."^[8]

Voting[]

Election results from presidential races
Year	Office	Results
2020	President	Donald Trump 53 – Joe Biden 45%
2016	President	Donald Trump 54 – Hillary Clinton 43%
2012	President	Mitt Romney 54 – Barack Obama 46%
2008	President	John McCain 52 – Barack Obama 47%
2004	President	George W. Bush 55 – John Kerry 45%
2000	President	George W. Bush 53 – Al Gore 47%

List of members representing the district[]

Representative	Party	Years	Congress	Electoral history
District created January 3, 1983
Lawrence Smith	Democratic	January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1993	98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd	Elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Retired.
Tom Lewis	Republican	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1995	103rd	Redistricted from the 12th district and re-elected in 1992. Retired.
Mark Foley	Republican	January 3, 1995 – September 29, 2006	104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th	Elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Resigned.
Vacant		September 29, 2006 – January 3, 2007	109th
Tim Mahoney	Democratic	January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009	110th	Elected in 2006. Lost re-election.
Tom Rooney	Republican	January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2013	111th 112th	Elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Redistricted to the 17th district.
Vern Buchanan	Republican	January 3, 2013 – present	113th 114th 115th 116th 117th	Redistricted from the 13th district and re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020.

Election results[]

2002[]

Florida's 16th Congressional District Election (2002)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mark Foley*	176,171	78.88
	Constitution	Jack McLain	47,169	21.12
Total votes			223,340	100.00
	Republican hold

2004[]

Florida's 16th Congressional District Election (2004)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mark Foley*	215,563	68.04
	Democratic	Jeff Fisher	101,247	31.96
Total votes			316,810	100.00
	Republican hold

2006[]

Florida's 16th Congressional District Election (2006)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tim Mahoney	115,832	49.55
	Republican	Mark Foley* (Joe Negron)	111,415	47.66
	Independent	Emmie Lee Ross	6,526	2.79
Total votes			223,799	100.00
	Democratic gain from Republican

• 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.^[9] 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.^[10] Since Mahoney won the election, the question did not arise.^[11]

2008[]

Florida's 16th Congressional District Election (2008)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tom Rooney	209,847	60.10
	Democratic	Tim Mahoney*	139,329	39.90
Total votes			349,176	100.00
	Republican gain from Democratic

• 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[]

Florida's 16th Congressional District Election (2010)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tom Rooney*	162,285	66.85
	Democratic	Jim Horn	80,327	33.09
	No party	Others	151	0.06
Total votes			242,763	100.00
	Republican hold

2012[]

Florida's 16th Congressional District Election (2012)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Vern Buchanan*	187,147	53.6
	Democratic	Keith Fitzgerald	161,929	46.4
Total votes			349,076	100.00
	Republican hold

2014[]

Florida's 16th Congressional District Election (2014)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Vern Buchanan*	168,990	61.6
	Democratic	Henry Lawrence	105,357	38.4
Total votes			274,347	100.00
	Republican hold

2016[]

Florida's 16th Congressional District Election (2016)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Vern Buchanan*	230,654	59.8
	Democratic	Jan Schneider	155,262	40.2
Total votes			385,916	100.00
	Republican hold

2018[]

Florida's 16th Congressional District Election (2018)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Vern Buchanan*	197,483	54.56%	5.21%
	Democratic	David Shapiro	164,463	45.44%	5.21%
Total votes			361,946	100.00%	6.21%
Majority			33,020	9.12%	10.4%
	Republican hold

2020[]

2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Vern Buchanan (incumbent)	269,001	55.50%
	Democratic	Margaret Good	215,683	44.49%
Total votes			484,684	100.0
	Republican hold

Historical district boundaries[]

• 

  2013 - 2017
• 

  2003 - 2013

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.

References[]

• 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

Coordinates: 27°18′23″N 82°25′34″W / 27.30639°N 82.42611°W / 27.30639; -82.42611