Pennsylvania's 2nd congressional district explained

State:	Pennsylvania
District Number:	2
Image Caption:	Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023 (Philadelphia outlined in red)
Representative:	Brendan Boyle
Party:	Democratic
Residence:	Philadelphia
Percent Urban:	100.00
Percent Rural:	0.00
Population:	713,964
Population Year:	2023
Median Income:	$56,629
Percent White:	37.4
Percent Hispanic:	24.7
Percent Black:	24.2
Percent Asian:	9.5
Percent More Than One Race:	3.2
Percent Other Race:	1.1
Cpvi:	D+20^[1]

Pennsylvania's second congressional district includes all of Northeast Philadelphia and parts of North Philadelphia east of Broad Street, as well as portions of Philadelphia's River Wards. It has been represented by Democrat Brendan Boyle since 2019.

The district is demographically diverse, with about 39% of residents identifying as white, nearly 27% of residents identifying as Black, 26% identifying as Hispanic or Latino (of any race), and 8% identifying as Asian.^[2]

Prior to 2018, the district covered West Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, and Northwest Philadelphia, as well as parts of South Philadelphia, Center City, and western suburbs such as Lower Merion Township in Montgomery County. Before the 113th Congress, the district did not contain Lower Merion Township but instead contained Cheltenham Township.

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania redrew the district in February 2018 after ruling the previous map unconstitutional due to partisan gerrymandering. The new second district is essentially the successor to the previous first district. As such, it remained heavily Democratic for the 2018 election and representation thereafter. Brendan Boyle, the incumbent from the previous 13th district, ran for re-election in the new 2nd district.^[3] Parts of the previous second district were shifted to the third.^[4]

Congressman Chaka Fattah represented the district from 1995 to 2016. On July 29, 2015, Fattah and a group of associates were indicted on federal charges related to their alleged roles in a racketeering and influence peddling conspiracy.^[5] ^[6] On April 26, 2016, Dwight Evans toppled Fattah in a competitive Democratic primary election.^[7] Fattah resigned June 23, 2016.^[8] Evans then won a special election to fill Fattah's seat. He also won election for the regular term beginning January 3, 2017. Evans won re-election in the new 3rd congressional district.

Recent statewide election results

Year	Office	Result
2020	President	align=left	Biden 70–29%
2022	Governor	align=left	Shapiro 76–22%
2022	Senate	align=left	Fetterman 72–26%

List of members representing the district

The district was organized from Pennsylvania's At-large congressional district in 1791.

1791–1793: one seat

Representative	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history
District first established March 4, 1791
align=left	Frederick Muhlenberg		Anti-Administration	nowrap	March 4, 1791 – March 3, 1793		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1791. Redistricted to the .

1795–1843: multiple seats

District created in 1795 from the .

Two additional seats were added in 1803. The third seat was eliminated in 1813, and the second seat eliminated in 1823. In 1833, the second seat was restored. In 1843, it returned to being a single-member district.

Cong ress	Years	Representative	Party	Electoral history	Representative	Party	Electoral history	Representative	Party	Electoral history
Cong ress	Years	rowspan=99		Seat A			rowspan=99		Seat B			rowspan=99		Seat C
	nowrap	March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1797	align=left	Frederick Muhlenberg		Democratic-Republican	Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1794. Retired.	rowspan=4 colspan=3	No second seat	rowspan=4 colspan=3	No third seat
	nowrap	March 4, 1797 – March 3, 1799	align=left	Blair McClenachan		Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1796. Retired.
	nowrap	March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801	rowspan=2 align=left	Michael Leib	rowspan=2	Democratic-Republican	rowspan=2	Elected in 1798. Re-elected in 1800. Redistricted to the .
	nowrap	March 4, 1801 – March 3, 1803
	nowrap	March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1805	rowspan=5 align=left	Robert Brown	rowspan=5	Democratic-Republican	rowspan=5	Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1802. Re-elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Re-elected in 1810. Redistricted to the .	rowspan=2 align=left	Frederick Conrad	rowspan=2	Democratic-Republican	rowspan=2	Elected in 1802. Re-elected in 1804. Lost re-election.	align=left	Isaac Van Horne	Democratic-Republican	Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1802. Retired.
	nowrap	March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1807	rowspan=2 align=left	John Pugh	rowspan=2	Democratic-Republican	rowspan=2	Elected in 1804. Re-elected in 1806. Lost re-election.
	nowrap	March 4, 1807 – March 3, 1809	rowspan=2 align=left	William Milnor	rowspan=2	Federalist	rowspan=2	Elected in 1806. Re-elected in 1808. Lost re-election.
	nowrap	March 4, 1809 – March 3, 1811	align=left	John Ross		Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1808. Retired.
	nowrap	March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1813	rowspan=2 align=left	Jonathan Roberts	rowspan=2	Democratic-Republican	rowspan=2	Elected in 1810. Re-elected in 1812. Resigned when elected U.S. Senator.	align=left	William Rodman		Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1810. Lost re-election as a Federalist.
	nowrap	March 4, 1813 – February 24, 1814	rowspan=3 align=left	Roger Davis	rowspan=3	Democratic-Republican	rowspan=3	Redistricted from the, and re-elected in 1812. Retired.	rowspan=99 colspan=3	No third seat
	nowrap	February 24, 1814 – October 11, 1814	colspan=3	Vacant
	nowrap	October 11, 1814 – March 3, 1815	align=left	Samuel Henderson		Federalist	Elected October 11, 1814, to finish Roberts's term and seated November 27, 1814. Lost election the same day to the next term.
	nowrap	March 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817	align=left	William Darlington		Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1814. Lost re-election.	align=left	John Hahn		Democratic-Republican	Elected in 1814. Lost re-election.
	nowrap	March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1819	align=left	Isaac Darlington		Federalist	Elected in 1816. Retired.	align=left	Levi Pawling		Federalist	Elected in 1816. Lost re-election.
	nowrap	March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1821	rowspan=2 align=left	William Darlington	rowspan=2	Democratic-Republican	rowspan=2	Elected in 1818. Re-elected in 1820. Lost re-election.	rowspan=2 align=left	Samuel Gross	rowspan=2	Democratic-Republican	rowspan=2	Elected in 1818. Re-elected in 1820. Retired.
	nowrap	March 4, 1821 – March 3, 1823
	nowrap	March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825	rowspan=2 align=left	Joseph Hemphill		Jacksonian Federalist	rowspan=2	Redistricted from the, and re-elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1824. Resigned.	rowspan=8 colspan=3	No second seat
	nowrap	March 4, 1825 – 1826		Jacksonian
	nowrap	1826 – October 26, 1826	colspan=3	Vacant
	nowrap	October 26, 1826 – March 3, 1827	align=left	Thomas Kittera		Anti-Jacksonian	Elected to finish Hemphill's term in 1826. Lost re-election.
	nowrap	March 4, 1827 – January 14, 1828	colspan=3	General election ended in a tie vote and the seat remained vacant.
	nowrap	January 14, 1828 – March 3, 1829	align=left	John Sergeant		Anti-Jacksonian	Elected October 9, 1827, to finish the vacant term and seated January 14, 1828. Lost re-election.
	nowrap	March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1831	align=left	Joseph Hemphill		Jacksonian	Elected in 1828. Retired.
	nowrap	March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1833	align=left	Henry Horn		Jacksonian	Elected in 1830. Lost re-election.
	nowrap	March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835	align=left	Horace Binney		Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1832. Retired.	rowspan=2 align=left	James Harper	rowspan=2	Anti-Jacksonian	rowspan=2	Elected in 1832. Re-elected in 1834. Retired.
	nowrap	March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837	align=left	Joseph R. Ingersoll		Anti-Jacksonian	Elected in 1834. Retired.
	nowrap	March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839	rowspan=3 align=left	John Sergeant	rowspan=3	Whig	rowspan=3	Elected in 1836. Re-elected in 1838. Re-elected in 1840. Resigned.	rowspan=5 align=left	George W. Toland	rowspan=5	Whig	rowspan=5	Elected in 1836. Re-elected in 1838. Re-elected in 1840.
	nowrap	March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841
	nowrap	March 3, 1841 – September 15, 1841
	nowrap	September 15, 1841 – October 12, 1841	colspan=3	Vacant
	nowrap	October 12, 1841 – March 3, 1843	align=left	Joseph R. Ingersoll		Whig	Elected in 1841 to finish Sergeant's term.

1843–present: one seat

Representative	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history
align=left	Joseph R. Ingersoll		Whig	nowrap	March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1849		Re-elected in 1843. Re-elected in 1844. Re-elected in 1846. Declined to accept renomination.
align=left	Joseph R. Chandler		Whig	nowrap	March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1855		Elected in 1848. Re-elected in 1850. Re-elected in 1852. Lost re-election.
align=left	Job R. Tyson		Whig	nowrap	March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857		Elected in 1854.
align=left	Edward J. Morris		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1857 – June 8, 1861		Elected in 1856. Re-elected in 1858. Re-elected in 1860. Resigned to become U.S. Minister to the Ottoman Empire.
Vacant		nowrap	June 8, 1861 – July 2, 1861
align=left	Charles J. Biddle		Democratic		nowrap	July 2, 1861 – March 3, 1863	Elected to finish Morris's term.
align=left	Charles O'Neill		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1871		Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1864. Re-elected in 1866. Re-elected in 1868. Lost re-election.
align=left	John V. Creely		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873		Elected in 1870. Disappeared in late 1872.
align=left	Charles O'Neill		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1873 – November 25, 1893		Elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Re-elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	November 25, 1893 – December 19, 1893
align=left	Robert Adams Jr.		Republican	nowrap	December 19, 1893 – June 1, 1906		Elected to finish O'Neill's term. Re-elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	June 1, 1906 – November 6, 1906
align=left	John E. Reyburn		Republican	nowrap	November 6, 1906 – March 31, 1907		Elected to finish Adams's term. Re-elected in 1906. Resigned to become Mayor of Philadelphia.
Vacant		nowrap	March 31, 1907 – November 5, 1907
align=left	Joel Cook		Republican	nowrap	November 5, 1907 – December 15, 1910		Elected to finish Reyburn's term. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	December 15, 1910 – May 23, 1911
align=left	William S. Reyburn		Republican	nowrap	May 23, 1911 – March 3, 1913		Elected to finish Cook's term. Retired.
align=left	George S. Graham		Republican	nowrap	March 4, 1913 – July 4, 1931		Elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	July 4, 1931 – November 3, 1931
align=left	Edward L. Stokes		Republican		nowrap	November 3, 1931 – March 3, 1933	Elected to finish Graham's term. Redistricted to the .
align=left	James M. Beck		Republican	nowrap	March 3, 1933 – September 30, 1934		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1932. Resigned to object to the New Deal.
Vacant		nowrap	September 30, 1934 – January 3, 1935
align=left	William H. Wilson		Republican	nowrap	January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1937		Elected in 1934. Lost re-election.
align=left	James P. McGranery		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 1937 – November 17, 1943		Elected in 1936. Re-elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Resigned to become United States Assistant Attorney General.
Vacant		nowrap	November 17, 1943 – January 18, 1944
align=left	Joseph M. Pratt		Republican		nowrap	January 18, 1944 – January 3, 1945	Elected to finish McGranery's term. Redistricted to the and lost re-election.
align=left	William T. Granahan		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947		Elected in 1944. Lost re-election.
align=left	Robert N. McGarvey		Republican	nowrap	January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949		Elected in 1946. Lost re-election.
align=left	William T. Granahan		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 1949 – May 25, 1956		Elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Died.
Vacant		nowrap	May 25, 1956 – November 6, 1956
align=left	Kathryn E. Granahan		Democratic	nowrap	November 6, 1956 – January 3, 1963		Elected to finish her husband's term. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960.
align=left	Robert N. C. Nix Sr.		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1979		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976.
align=left	William H. Gray III		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 1979 – September 11, 1991		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. Resigned to become President of the United Negro College Fund.
Vacant		nowrap	September 11, 1991 – November 5, 1991
align=left	Lucien Blackwell		Democratic	nowrap	November 5, 1991 – January 3, 1995		Elected to finish Gray's term. Re-elected in 1992. Lost renomination.
align=left	Chaka Fattah		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 1995 – June 23, 2016		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. Lost renomination and resigned.
Vacant		nowrap	June 23, 2016 – November 14, 2016
align=left	Dwight Evans		Democratic	nowrap	November 14, 2016 – January 3, 2019		Elected to finish Fattah's term. Re-elected in 2016. Redistricted to the .
align=left	Brendan Boyle		Democratic	nowrap	January 3, 2019 – present		Redistricted from the and re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024.

Recent elections

2022

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

External links

District map, via nationalatlas.gov
Census Bureau profile
Congressional redistricting in Pennsylvania

40.0153°N -75.2222°W

Notes and References

Web site: 2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List. 2023-01-10. Cook Political Report. en.
https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd116/cd_based/ST42/CD116_PA02.pdf
News: Kopp . John . February 22, 2018 . Brendan Boyle to seek re-election in redrawn Philly congressional district . Philly Voice . Philadelphia, PA . February 22, 2018 .
News: The New Pennsylvania House Districts Are In. We Review the Mapmakers' Choices. . The New York Times . The Upshot . February 19, 2018 . February 20, 2018 . Nate . Cohn . Matthew . Bloch . Kevin . Quealy .
Congressman Chaka Fattah and Associates Charged with Participating in Racketeering Conspiracy . . July 29, 2015 . July 29, 2015.
Web site: Chaka Fattah indictment, full text - CNNPolitics.com. CNN. July 29, 2015 . July 29, 2015.
News: Pennsylvania primary: Dwight Evans topples longtime Congressman Chaka Fattah. Orso. Anna. 2016-04-26. Billy Penn. 2018-04-30. en-US.
Rep. Chaka Fattah resigns after conviction, effective immediately . CBS . June 23, 2016 . June 23, 2016.