Indiana's 1st congressional district | |
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![]() Indiana's 1st congressional district since January 3, 2023 | |
Representative | |
Area | 2,209.37 sq mi (5,722.2 km2) |
Distribution |
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Population (2022) | 755,538 |
Median household income | $69,580[1] |
Ethnicity |
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Cook PVI | D+3[2] |
Indiana's 1st congressional district is an electoral district for the U.S. Congress in Northwestern Indiana. The district is based in Gary and its surrounding suburbs and exurbs. It consists of all of Lake and Porter counties, as well as most of the northwestern part of La Porte County, on the border with Michigan. Redistricting passed by the Indiana General Assembly in 2011 shifted the district's boundaries, effective January 2013, to include all of Lake and Porter counties and the western and northwestern townships of La Porte County, while moving Benton, Jasper and Newton counties out of the district.
The district is currently represented by Democrat Frank J. Mrvan. He was sworn in on January 3, 2021.
The district's character is very different from the rest of Indiana. It includes almost all of the Indiana side of the Chicago metropolitan area. While Porter and LaPorte are swing counties, Lake County is heavily Democratic. Lake County contains two-thirds of the district's population, which is enough to make the 1st a relatively safe Democratic seat. The district has not elected a Republican to Congress in 94 years, making it one of the longest continuously Democratic districts in the nation. Among Indiana's congressional districts, only the Indianapolis-based 7th District is more Democratic.