Kentucky's 5th congressional district is a

congressional district Congressional districts, also known as electoral districts and legislative districts, electorates, or wards in other nations, are divisions of a larger administrative region that represent the population of a region in the larger congressional bod ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

. Located in the heart of Appalachia in Southeastern Kentucky, the

rural In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are descri ...

district is the second most impoverished district in the nation and, as of the

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, has the highest percentage of

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in the nation. Within the district are the economic leading cities of Pikeville, Prestonsburg, Middlesboro, Hazard,

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, Morehead,

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, and

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. It is the most rural district in the United States, with 76.49% of its population in rural areas. It has been represented by

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Hal Rogers since 1981. With a

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rating of R+33, it is the most Republican district in Kentucky and tied with Texas's 13th as the second most Republican district in the country. The 5th congressional district is one of the few ancestrally Republican regions south of the Ohio River. Much of the region now in the district strongly supported the Union in the

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, and identified with the Republicans after hostilities ceased. By contrast, the northeastern portion of the district borders

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...

. Much of this section of the district was once part of the 7th congressional district, long a Democratic stronghold, which was disbanded in 1992 after the 1990 census. Geographically, the district consists of flat land areas to the west, to Appalachia highland mountains to the east and southeast. To the north and northeast of the district are rolling hills that end at the Ohio River. Despite the district's strong Republican lean, it features the county of Elliott, which, before being carried by

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, had never voted for a Republican president since its founding in 1869, making it the longest Democratic voting streak. Until 2018, when the county gave Rogers 54.6% of its vote, the county had never voted for Rogers, despite him winning at least 65% of the vote in the district in every election except 1992. Rogers is the dean of the Kentucky delegation and of the entire

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. Due in part to his seniority, Rogers has served in a number of leadership positions in the chamber.

Characteristics

Until January 1, 2006, Kentucky did not track party affiliation for registered voters who were neither Democratic nor

. The Kentucky voter registration card does not explicitly list anything other than Democratic Party, Republican Party, or Other, with the "Other" option having a blank line and no instructions on how to register as something else.

Recent presidential elections

List of members representing the district

Recent election results

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

References

* *
Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present
{{coord, 37, 22, 08, N, 83, 31, 19, W, region:US_type:city_source:kolossus-eswiki, display=title 05 Constituencies established in 1803 1803 establishments in Kentucky Constituencies disestablished in 1933 1933 disestablishments in Kentucky Constituencies established in 1935 1935 establishments in Kentucky