Delaware's at-large congressional district

Delaware's at-large congressional district
Delaware's at-large congressional district
Representative	Sarah McBride; D–Wilmington
Area	2,489 sq mi (6,450 km2)
Distribution	83.3% urban; 16.7% rural;
Population (2023)	1,031,890
Median household; income	$81,361
Ethnicity	58.6% White; 21.5% Black; 10.5% Hispanic; 4.3% Asian; 4.3% Two or more races; 0.8% other;
Cook PVI	D+8

Delaware's at-large congressional district is a congressional district that includes the entire U.S. state of Delaware. It is the nation's oldest congressional district, having existed uninterrupted since the 1st United States Congress in 1789. It is also the most populous congressional district in the nation. Delaware has always had only one member of the United States House of Representatives, except for a single decade from 1813 to 1823, when the state had two at-large members. The two seats were filled by a statewide ballot, with the two candidates receiving the highest votes being elected.

Quick Facts Representative, Area ...

Mike Castle, a Republican and former governor of Delaware, held this seat from January 1993 until his retirement in January 2011, after his unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination to run for U.S. Senator. Even as Delaware swung heavily Democratic at the state and national level, Castle was usually reelected without serious difficulty. Since his retirement, however, the Democrats have held it with no substantive opposition.

The district is currently represented by Sarah McBride, a Democrat, who was first elected in 2024. McBride is the first openly transgender person elected to Congress.

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Year	Office	Results
2000	President	Gore 55–42%
2004	President	Kerry 53–46%
2008	President	Obama 62–37%
2012	President	Obama 59–40%
2016	President	Clinton 53–42%
2020	President	Biden 59–40%
2024	President	Harris 56–42%

Member	Party	Term	Congress	Electoral history
John Vining (Dover)	Pro- Administration	March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1793	1st 2nd	Elected in 1789. Re-elected in 1790. Retired.
John Patten (Dover)	Anti- Administration	March 4, 1793 – February 14, 1794	3rd	Elected in 1792. Lost election contest.
Henry Latimer (Newport)	Pro- Administration	February 14, 1794 – February 7, 1795	3rd	Won election contest. Lost re-election.
John Patten (Dover)	Democratic- Republican	March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797	4th	Elected in 1794. Retired.
James A. Bayard (Wilmington)	Federalist	March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1803	5th 6th 7th	Elected in 1796. Re-elected in 1798. Re-elected in 1800. Lost re-election.
Caesar Augustus Rodney (Wilmington)	Democratic- Republican	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805	8th	Elected in 1802. Lost re-election.
Vacant		March 4, 1805 – October 1, 1805	9th	James A. Bayard was elected in 1804 but declined to serve, having also been elected U.S. senator.
James M. Broom (Wilmington)	Federalist	October 1, 1805 – October 6, 1807	9th 10th	Elected October 1, 1805 to finish Bayard's term and seated December 2, 1805. Re-elected in 1806, but declined the seat.
Nicholas Van Dyke (New Castle)	Federalist	October 6, 1807 – March 3, 1811	10th 11th	Elected to finish Broom's term. Re-elected in 1808. Retired.
Henry M. Ridgely (Dover)	Federalist	March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1815	12th 13th	Elected in 1810. Re-elected in 1812. Retired.
Thomas Clayton (Dover)	Federalist	March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817	14th	Elected in 1814. Lost re-election.
Louis McLane (Wilmington)	Federalist^[a]	March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1825	15th 16th 17th 18th 19th	Elected in 1816. Re-elected in 1818. Re-elected in 1820. Re-elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1826 but declined to serve having been elected U.S. senator.
Louis McLane (Wilmington)	Jacksonian	March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1827	15th 16th 17th 18th 19th
Vacant		March 3, 1827 – October 2, 1827	20th
Kensey Johns Jr. (New Castle)	Anti- Jacksonian	October 2, 1827 – March 3, 1831	20th 21st	Elected October 2, 1827 to finish McLane's term and seated December 3, 1827. Re-elected in 1828. Retired.
John J. Milligan (Wilmington)	Anti- Jacksonian	March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1837	22nd 23rd 24th 25th	Elected in 1830. Re-elected in 1832. Re-elected in 1834. Re-elected in 1836. Lost re-election.
John J. Milligan (Wilmington)	Whig	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839	22nd 23rd 24th 25th
Thomas Robinson Jr. (Georgetown)	Democratic	March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841	26th	Elected in 1838. Lost re-election.
George B. Rodney (New Castle)	Whig	March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1845	27th 28th	Elected in 1840. Re-elected in 1842. Retired.
John W. Houston (Georgetown)	Whig	March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1851	29th 30th 31st	Elected in 1844. Re-elected in 1846. Re-elected in 1848. Retired.
George R. Riddle (Wilmington)	Democratic	March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1855	32nd 33rd	Elected in 1850. Re-elected in 1852. Lost re-election.
Elisha D. Cullen (Georgetown)	Know Nothing	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857	34th	Elected in 1854. Lost re-election.
William G. Whiteley (New Castle)	Democratic	March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1861	35th 36th	Elected in 1856. Re-elected in 1858. Retired.
George P. Fisher (Dover)	Union	March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863	37th	Elected in 1860. Lost re-election.
William Temple (Smyrna)	Democratic	March 4, 1863 – May 28, 1863	38th	Elected in 1862. Died.
Vacant		May 28, 1863 – December 7, 1863	38th
Nathaniel B. Smithers (Dover)	Union	December 7, 1863 – March 3, 1865	38th	Elected to finish Temple's term. Lost re-election.
John A. Nicholson (Dover)	Democratic	March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1869	39th 40th	Elected in 1864. Re-elected in 1866. Retired.
Benjamin T. Biggs (Summit Bridge)	Democratic	March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1873	41st 42nd	Elected in 1868. Re-elected in 1870. Retired.
James R. Lofland (Milford)	Republican	March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875	43rd	Elected in 1872. Lost re-election.
James Williams (Kenton)	Democratic	March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879	44th 45th	Elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Retired.
Edward L. Martin (Seaford)	Democratic	March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1883	46th 47th	Elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Retired.
Charles B. Lore (Wilmington)	Democratic	March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887	48th 49th	Elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Retired.
John B. Penington (Dover)	Democratic	March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1891	50th 51st	Elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Retired.
John W. Causey (Milford)	Democratic	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1895	52nd 53rd	Elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Retired.
Jonathan S. Willis (Milford)	Republican	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897	54th	Elected in 1894. Lost re-election.
L. Irving Handy (Newark)	Democratic	March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899	55th	Elected in 1896. Lost re-election.
John H. Hoffecker (Smyrna)	Republican	March 4, 1899 – June 16, 1900	56th	Elected in 1898. Died.
Vacant		June 16, 1900 – November 6, 1900
Walter O. Hoffecker (Smyrna)	Republican	November 6, 1900 – March 3, 1901		Elected to finish his father's term. Retired.
L. Heisler Ball (Faulkland)	Republican	March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1903	57th	Elected in 1900. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
Henry A. Houston (Millsboro)	Democratic	March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1905	58th	Elected in 1902. Retired.
Hiram R. Burton (Lewes)	Republican	March 4, 1905 – March 3, 1909	59th 60th	Elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Lost renomination.
William H. Heald (Wilmington)	Republican	March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1913	61st 62nd	Elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Retired.
Franklin Brockson (Clayton)	Democratic	March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915	63rd	Elected in 1912. Lost re-election.
Thomas W. Miller (Wilmington)	Republican	March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1917	64th	Elected in 1914. Lost re-election.
Albert F. Polk (Georgetown)	Democratic	March 4, 1917 – March 3, 1919	65th	Elected in 1916. Lost re-election.
Caleb R. Layton (Georgetown)	Republican	March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1923	66th 67th	Elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Lost re-election.
William H. Boyce (Dover)	Democratic	March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1925	68th	Elected in 1922. Lost re-election.
Robert G. Houston (Georgetown)	Republican	March 4, 1925 – March 3, 1933	69th 70th 71st 72nd	Elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Retired.
Wilbur L. Adams (Wilmington)	Democratic	March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935	73rd	Elected in 1932. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
J. George Stewart (Wilmington)	Republican	January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1937	74th	Elected in 1934. Lost re-election.
William F. Allen (Seaford)	Democratic	January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1939	75th	Elected in 1936. Lost re-election.
George S. Williams (Millsboro)	Republican	January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1941	76th	Elected in 1938. Lost re-election.
Philip A. Traynor (Wilmington)	Democratic	January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943	77th	Elected in 1940. Lost re-election.
Earle D. Willey (Dover)	Republican	January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1945	78th	Elected in 1942. Lost re-election.
Philip A. Traynor (Wilmington)	Democratic	January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947	79th	Elected in 1944. Lost re-election.
J. Caleb Boggs (Wilmington)	Republican	January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1953	80th 81st 82nd	Elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Retired to run for Governor of Delaware.
Herbert Warburton (Wilmington)	Republican	January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1955	83rd	Elected in 1952. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
Harris McDowell (Middletown)	Democratic	January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1957	84th	Elected in 1954. Lost re-election.
Harry G. Haskell Jr. (Wilmington)	Republican	January 3, 1957 – January 3, 1959	85th	Elected in 1956. Lost re-election.
Harris McDowell (Middletown)	Democratic	January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1967	86th 87th 88th 89th	Elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Lost re-election.
William Roth (Wilmington)	Republican	January 3, 1967 – December 31, 1970	90th 91st	Elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Retired to run for U.S. senator and resigned after the election.
Vacant		December 31, 1970 – January 3, 1971	91st
Pete du Pont (Rockland)	Republican	January 3, 1971 – January 3, 1977	92nd 93rd 94th	Elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Retired to run for Governor of Delaware.
Thomas B. Evans Jr. (Wilmington)	Republican	January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1983	95th 96th 97th	Elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Lost re-election.
Tom Carper (Wilmington)	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 to run for Governor of Delaware.
Mike Castle (Wilmington)	Republican	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2011	103rd 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th	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. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
John Carney (Wilmington)	Democratic	January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017	112th 113th 114th	Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Retired to run for Governor of Delaware.
Lisa Blunt Rochester (Wilmington)	Democratic	January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2025	115th 116th 117th 118th	Elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Retired to run for U.S. Senator.
Sarah McBride (Wilmington)	Democratic	January 3, 2025– present	119th	Elected in 2024.

Member	Party	Term	Congress	Electoral history
Thomas Cooper (Georgetown)	Federalist	March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1817	13th 14th	Elected in 1812. Re-elected in 1814. Lost re-election.
Willard Hall (Dover)	Democratic- Republican	March 4, 1817 – January 22, 1821	15th 16th	Elected in 1816. Re-elected in 1818. Lost re-election and resigned early.
Vacant		January 22, 1821 – March 3, 1821	16th
Caesar Augustus Rodney (Wilmington)	Democratic- Republican	March 4, 1821 – January 24, 1822	17th	Elected in 1820. Resigned when elected U.S. senator.
Vacant		January 24, 1822 – October 1, 1822
Daniel Rodney (Lewes)	Federalist	October 1, 1822 – March 3, 1823		Elected to finish his cousin's term. Retired.

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Caleb R. Layton (Incumbent)	52,145	56%
	Democratic	James R. Clements	40,206	43%
	Socialist	Robert A. Walker	1,063	.01%
	Independent	Howard T. Ennis	196	.02%
Total votes			93,609	100%
Turnout
	Republican hold

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	William H. Boyce	39,126	54%
	Republican	Caleb R. Layton (Incumbent)	32,577	45%
	Independent	Frank A. Houck	908	.01%
Total votes			72,611	100%
Turnout
	Democratic gain from Republican

1932 United States House of Representatives election in Delaware
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Wilbur L. Adams	51,698	46%
	Republican	Reuben Satterthwaite Jr.	48,841	44%
	Prohibition	Francis B. Short	10,560	9%
	Socialist	Edgar G. Shaeffer	887	0.08%
	Communist	Frank Rhoades	110	0.01%
Total votes			112,096	100%
Turnout
	Democratic gain from Republican

1982 Delaware's at-large congressional district election^[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Thomas R. Carper	98,533	52%
	Republican	Tom Evans (incumbent)	87,153	46%
	American	Mary Gies	1,109	1%
	Libertarian	Richard Cohen	711	0.38%
	N/A	David Nuttall	558	0.30%
Total votes			188,064	100%
	Democratic gain from Republican

1984 Delaware's at-large congressional district election^[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Thomas R. Carper (incumbent)	142,070	58%
	Republican	Elise du Pont	100,650	41%
	Libertarian	V. Luther Etzel	294	0.12%
Total votes			243,014	100%
	Democratic hold

1986 Delaware's at-large congressional district election^[7]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Thomas R. Carper (incumbent)	106,351	66%
	Republican	Thomas Nueberger	53,767	33%
	American	Patrick Harrison	639	0.40%
Total votes			160,757	100%
	Democratic hold

Recent statewide results

List of members representing the district

Second at-large seat: 1813–1823

Electoral history

1920

1922

1924

1926

1928

1930

1932

1934

1936

1938

1940

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2024

Notes

References

External links