Michigan's 1st congressional district is a United States congressional district that fully contains the 15 counties of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and 20 counties of Northern Michigan in the Lower Peninsula. The district is currently represented by Republican Jack Bergman.
Cities and towns
The district is the second-largest congressional district east of the Mississippi River by land area, only behind Maine's 2nd congressional district. Its boundaries contain the entire Upper Peninsula of Michigan and much of the northern part of the Lower Peninsula. Altogether, the district makes up about 44% of the land area of the state of Michigan yet contains only 7% of Michigan's population. It contains the second-longest shoreline of any district in the United States, behind Alaska's at-large congressional district.
Counties
Of the 83 counties in Michigan, the following 35 lie entirely within the district. One county (Wexford) lies partially in the district.
Major settlements in the district
Alpena
Boyne City
Calumet
Charlevoix
Cheboygan
East Tawas
Escanaba
Gaylord
Grayling
Hancock
Harbor Springs
Houghton
Houghton Lake
Iron Mountain
Ironwood
Ishpeming
Kalkaska
Kingsford
Lake City
Manistique
Marquette (largest settlement) Menominee Negaunee Petoskey Roscommon Sault Ste. Marie Standish Tawas City Traverse City West Branch
History
Prior to 1992, the 1st congressional district was a Detroit-based congressional district. From the election of Republican John B. Sosnowski in 1925 until 1964, the former 1st district was represented by only one non-Polish-American politician, Robert H. Clancy. Along with Sosnowski, 6 Polish-Americans served as the 1st district's representatives elected 7 times, since 1925. The other strong Polish Michigan congressional districts were the 15th district (where half of the elected were Polish-American) and the dissolved 16th district (where all three elected representatives were of Polish descent). In 1964, the 1st congressional district was drawn as a new, African-American majority district reflecting the changing demographics of Detroit, while enough of the old 1st district was moved to the 14th district so that the 14th district retained the 1st's old congressman. John Conyers was elected to congress from the 1st district, a position he would hold until the 1st was removed from Detroit.
After 1992, the 1st district covered land in the UP and Northern Michigan. Most of this territory had been known as the 11th district from 1892 to 1992. The 1st from 1992 to 2002 was similar to the present district, except that it did not extend nearly as far south along Lake Michigan, while it took in Traverse City and some surrounding areas on the west side of the state.
Presidential election results
This table indicates how the district has voted in U.S. presidential elections; election results reflect voting in the district as it was configured at the time of the election, not as it is configured today.
Recent election results from statewide races
This table indicates how the district has voted in recent statewide elections; election results reflect voting in the district as it is currently configured, not necessarily as it was at the time of these elections.
List of members representing the district
Elections
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
See also
Michigan's congressional districts
List of United States congressional districts
Superior (proposed state)
Notes
References
Govtrack.us for the 1st District - Lists current Senators and representative, and map showing district outline The Political graveyard: U.S. Representatives from Michigan, 1807–2003 U.S. Representatives 1837–2003, Michigan Manual 2003–2004