Alabama's 5th congressional district

Alabama's 5th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in Alabama, which elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. It encompasses the counties of Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Morgan, Jackson, and part of Lauderdale. It is currently represented by Republican Dale Strong, a former Madison County Commissioner. Strong was first elected in 2022 following the retirement of Republican incumbent Mo Brooks.

Character

Two major economic projects have lastingly impacted the 5th district and have indelibly dictated the politics of North Alabama for most of the 20th Century. Before 1933, the Northern Alabama counties were characteristically poor, white and rural. The Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) arrival changed much of that, slowly transforming the demographic towards technical and engineering employees. The second major project was the space and rocketry programs including Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville where the first large U.S. Ballistic missiles were developed. Additionally, NASA built the Marshall Space Flight Center in the Huntsville-Decatur area during the 1960s. In the late 1950s Northern Alabama came to be dominated by the high-tech and engineering industries, a trend which has continued up to the present. In recent years, the United Launch Alliance has located its research center in Decatur. As a result, Huntsville has become the second largest and fastest growing metropolitan area in Alabama.

For a time, the district bucked the increasing Republican trend in Alabama. It was the only district in the state that supported Walter Mondale in 1984, but hasn't supported a Democrat for president since then. Democrats continue to hold most offices at the local level, and continued to hold most of the district's seats in the Alabama state legislature until the Republicans swept nearly all of north Alabama's seats in 2010. In the mid-1990s, it was a seriously contested seat, with longtime Democratic incumbent Bud Cramer winning reelection by only 1,770 votes in 1994. However, Cramer was elected five more times with 70 percent or more of the vote and even ran unopposed in the Democratic landslide year of 2006. Cramer did not seek reelection in 2008. Parker Griffith, a retired oncologist and State Senator, won the open seat in November 2008. However, in December 2009, Griffith became a Republican. Until Griffith's switch, the district had been one of the last in the former Confederacy not to have sent a Republican to the U.S. Congress since Reconstruction. Griffith was ousted in the Republican primary by former Representative Mo Brooks.

George W. Bush won 60% of the vote in this district in 2004. John McCain also carried the 5th district in 2008 with 60.91% of the vote while Barack Obama received 37.99%.

Recent election results from statewide races The following chart shows the results of recent federal and statewide races in the 5th district.

Year Office Winner D % R % 2012 President Mitt Romney (R) 34.8% 63.7% 2016 President Donald Trump (R) 30.9% 63.7% Senate Richard Shelby (R) 32.8% 67.0% 2017 Senate (special) Roy Moore (R) 48.7% 48.8% 2018 Governor Kay Ivey (R) 38.6% 61.3% Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth (R) 36.9% 63.1% Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) 39.1% 60.8% 2020 President Donald Trump (R) 35.5% 62.5% Senate Tommy Tuberville (R) 39.4% 60.3% Redistricted for the 2022 cycle 2022 Senate Katie Britt (R) 29.6% 67.5% Governor Kay Ivey (R) 27.0% 68.5% Attorney General Steve Marshall (R) 31.2% 68.7% Secretary of State Wes Allen (R) 29.8% 66.3% Redistricted for the 2024 cycle 2024 President Donald Trump (R) 34.6% 63.6%

Counties and communities within district For the 119th and successive Congresses (based on the districts drawn following the Supreme Court's decision in Allen v. Milligan), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities.https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd119/cd_based/ST01/CD119_AL05.pdf

Jackson County (13)

All 13 communities

Lauderdale County (3)

Anderson, Lexington, Rogersville

Lawrence County (6)

All six communities

Limestone County (8)

All eight communities

Madison County (12)

All 12 communities

Morgan County (8)

All eight communities

List of members representing the district Member Party Years Congress Electoral history Location District created March 4, 1833 John Murphy Jacksonian March 4, 1833 –March 3, 1835 Elected in 1832.Retired. Francis Strother Lyon Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1835 –March 3, 1837 Elected in 1834.Re-elected in 1836.Retired. Whig March 4, 1837 –March 3, 1839 James Dellet Whig March 4, 1839 –March 3, 1841 Elected in 1838.Redistricted to the and lost re-election. District inactive March 4, 1841 –March 3, 1843 All representatives elected . George S. Houston Democratic March 4, 1843 –March 4, 1849 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1842.Re-elected in 1844.Re-elected in 1846.Retired. David Hubbard Democratic March 4, 1849 –March 3, 1851 Elected in 1848.Lost re-election. George S. Houston Democratic March 4, 1851 –January 21, 1861 Elected in 1850.Re-elected in 1852.Re-elected in 1854.Re-elected in 1856.Re-elected in 1858.Withdrew due to Civil War. Vacant January 21, 1861 –July 21, 1868 Civil War and Reconstruction John Benton Callis Republican July 21, 1868 –March 3, 1869 Elected to finish the vacant term.Retired. Peter Myndert Dox Democratic March 4, 1869 –March 3, 1873 Elected in 1868.Re-elected in 1870.Retired. John Henry Caldwell Democratic March 4, 1873 –March 3, 1877 Elected in 1872.Re-elected in 1874.Retired. Robert F. Ligon Democratic March 4, 1877 –March 3, 1879 Elected in 1876.Lost renomination. Thomas Williams Democratic March 4, 1879 –March 3, 1885 Elected in 1878.Re-elected in 1880.Re-elected in 1882.Retired. Thomas William Sadler Democratic March 4, 1885 –March 3, 1887 Elected in 1884.Lost renomination. James E. Cobb Democratic March 4, 1887 –April 21, 1896 Elected in 1886.Re-elected in 1888.Re-elected in 1890.Re-elected in 1892.Lost 1894 contested election. Albert Taylor Goodwyn Populist April 21, 1896 –March 3, 1897 Won 1894 contested election.Lost re-election. Willis Brewer Democratic March 4, 1897 –March 3, 1901 Elected in 1896.Re-elected in 1898.Lost renomination. Charles Winston Thompson Democratic March 4, 1901 –March 20, 1904 Elected in 1900.Re-elected in 1902.Died. Vacant March 20, 1904 –May 19, 1904 James Thomas Heflin Democratic May 19, 1904 –November 1, 1920 Elected to finish Thompson's term.Re-elected in 1904.Re-elected in 1906.Re-elected in 1908.Re-elected in 1910.Re-elected in 1912.Re-elected in 1914.Re-elected in 1916.Re-elected in 1918.Retired to run for U.S. senator and resigned when elected. Vacant November 1, 1920 –December 14, 1920 <br/ >William B. Bowling Democratic December 14, 1920 –August 16, 1928 Elected to finish Heflin's term.Also elected to the next full term.Re-elected in 1922.Re-elected in 1924.Re-elected in 1926.Resigned to become judge for 5th Alabama Circuit. Vacant August 16, 1928 –November 6, 1928 LaFayette L. Patterson Democratic November 6, 1928 –March 3, 1933 Elected to finish Bowling's term.Also elected to the next term the same day in 1928.Re-elected in 1930.Lost renomination. Miles C. Allgood Democratic March 4, 1933 –January 3, 1935 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1932.Lost renomination. Joe Starnes Democratic January 3, 1935 –January 3, 1945 Elected in 1934.Re-elected in 1936.Re-elected in 1938.Re-elected in 1940.Re-elected in 1942.Lost renomination. Albert Rains Democratic January 3, 1945 –January 3, 1963 Elected in 1944.Re-elected in 1946.Re-elected in 1948.Re-elected in 1950.Re-elected in 1952.Re-elected in 1954.Re-elected in 1956.Re-elected in 1958.Re-elected in 1960.Redistricted to the . District inactive January 3, 1963 –January 3, 1965 All representatives elected . Armistead I. Selden Jr. Democratic January 3, 1965 –January 3, 1969 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1964.Re-elected in 1966.Retired to run for U.S. senator. Walter Flowers Democratic January 3, 1969 –January 3, 1973 Elected in 1968.Re-elected in 1970.Redistricted to the . Robert E. Jones Jr. Democratic January 3, 1973 –January 3, 1977 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1972.Re-elected in 1974.Retired. 1973–1983 Ronnie Flippo Democratic January 3, 1977 –January 3, 1991 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.Retired to run for Governor of Alabama. 1983–1993 Robert E. Cramer Democratic January 3, 1991 –January 3, 2009 Elected in 1990.Re-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.Retired. 1993–2003 2003–2013 Parker Griffith Democratic January 3, 2009 –December 22, 2009 Elected in 2008.Switched parties.Lost renomination. Republican December 22, 2009 –January 3, 2011Mo Brooks Republican January 3, 2011 –January 3, 2023 Elected in 2010.Re-elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Re-elected in 2020. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. 2013–2023Dale Strong Republican January 3, 2023 –present Elected in 2022.Re-elected in 2024. 2023–2025 2025–present

Recent election results These are the results from the previous twelve election cycles in Alabama's 5th district.

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2024

Alabama's 5th congressional district

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