The overwhelming majority of congressional districts with a significant number of federal workers and federal retirees are represented by Democrats, according to a First Read analysis.
In fact, 80 percent – 40 of the top 50 – of these districts have Democratic members of Congress, partially explaining why Republicans in the House have been reluctant to budge on re-opening the government without concessions from President Obama on his health-care law.
That also leaves some of those 10 Republicans on the list in a box. They run the gamut from suburban California Republicans like Ed Royce, Buck McKeon, Darrell Issa, and Kevin McCarthy – who also happens to be in House leadership – to Peter Roskam from suburban Chicago, safe-districted Republicans in suburban Texas, and Frank Wolf of Northern Virginia.
Of them, just Wolf has called for the passage of a clean continuing resolution, a funding measure that would keep the government open without strings attached like defunding or delaying the Affordable Care Act.
The main reason for that is Wolf’s 10th congressional district, with about 12 percent federal workers and retirees, was the one President Barack Obama came closest to winning in 2012. Republican Mitt Romney barely won the Northern Virginia district, 50-49 percent, in 2012. Obama won it in 2008 by 3 points.
Wolf’s district is one of four swing districts on the list – ones Obama won in 2008 and Romney won in 2012. But the Republican incumbents in the other three are not seen as endangered and have won comfortably in past elections.
Among them: White House antagonist Issa, representing the San Diego-area California-49, with about 13 percent federal workers; Longtime Congressman McKeon, of California-25 in Northern Los Angeles County, which also has about 13 percent federal workers; and Roskam, elected in 2006 to Illinois-6, a suburban Chicago district that’s about 12 percent federal worker.
In Issa’s district, Romney won it by 6 points in 2012, but Issa carried it easily with 58 percent. McKeon, who won with 55 percent, also outpaced Romney, who barely won the district in 2012. Roskam won with 59 percent. Romney won it with just 53 percent, and Obama won it by 3 in 2008.
The district with the second-most federal workers in the country is California’s 39th congressional district, comprised of nearly 17 percent federal workers. It is represented by Royce, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs committee, who was first elected in 1992. Romney won Royce’s district by just 4 points; John McCain won it in 2008 by just 2. But Royce won comfortably with 58 percent.
It should be pointed out, however, that the analysis -- culled from data from the Office of Personnel Management and Department of Labor via the website EyeOnWashington.com -- is an approximation, because it relies on county data. In some districts there is significant county overlap, especially, for example, in the Los Angeles suburbs. So Royce’s actual district percentage is probably lower.
That said, Royce’s congressional office acknowledges there are a number of federal workers in his district. Royce has asked that his pay be withheld until the shutdown is over, but he still believes, in part, that the government should not be reopened unless the president cuts back on his health-care law.
“I support a compromise that funds the government and brings everyone to the negotiating table, so we can pass the spending reforms and health care reforms this nation needs,” Royce said in a statement provided by his office.
The district with the most federal workers by percentage in the country is the third congressional district in Maryland, which covers some Baltimore suburbs to Annapolis, represented by John Sarbanes. Nearly one-in-four in the district -- 22.4 percent -- are either federal workers or retirees.
House Speaker John Boehner's Ohio district, by the way, is less than 1 percent federal worker.
The full list of all 435 districts is below:
CD #feds Pop. %
1. MD-3 D 161764 721896 22.4%
2. CA-39 R 118733 711645 16.7%
3. VA-8 D 113934 742531 15.3%
4. MD-5 D 110843 726753 15.3%
5. CA-27 D 97870 709231 13.8%
6. CA-35 D 97870 710704 13.8%
7. CA-38 D 97201 714100 13.6%
8. MD-2 D 98334 727061 13.5%
9. CA-47 D 97201 719805 13.5%
10. CA-23 R 93814 707345 13.3%
11. MD-6 D 95161 731965 13.0%
12. CA-49 R 90790 702141 12.9%
13. MD-4 D 95125 736929 12.9%
14. MD-8 D 94640 747185 12.7%
15. CA-26 D 89703 708300 12.7%
16. CA-25 R 89703 714313 12.6%
17. CA-30 D 89703 726471 12.3%
18. AZ-1 D 87570 724,868 12.1%
19. TX-23 D 86842 725874 12.0%
20. CA-50 R 86422 724472 11.9%
21. VA-3 D 85090 725090 11.7%
22. IL-6 R 83633 712712 11.7%
23. VA-10 R 86624 750886 11.5%
24. TX-21 R 82502 723750 11.4%
25. TX-35 D 81819 724271 11.3%
26. CA-29 D 76338 687063 11.1%
27. CA-32 D 76338 693701 11.0%
28. CA-34 D 76338 698741 10.9%
29. CA-43 D 76338 702983 10.9%
30. CA-28 D 76338 706585 10.8%
31. CA-33 D 76338 707854 10.8%
32. CA-40 D 76338 708460 10.8%
33. CA-44 D 76338 713249 10.7%
34. AZ-3 D 75349 707,336 10.7%
35. IL-11 D 76947 722745 10.6%
36. CA-37 D 76338 719034 10.6%
37. IL-3 D 73483 713092 10.3%
38. TX-28 D 72615 710260 10.2%
39. CA-51 D 72942 717894 10.2%
40. IL-8 D 73357 724644 10.1%
41. IL-10 D 70824 705564 10.0%
42. CA-52 D 69927 699398 10.0%
43. IL-5 D 70324 712292 9.9%
44. VA-11 D 73372 746993 9.8%
45. CA-53 D 69927 723699 9.7%
46. IL-2 D 65719 718507 9.1%
47. IL-1 D 65117 711982 9.1%
48. FL-5 D 64099 701732 9.1%
49. TX-24 R 63680 719185 8.9%
50. TX-26 R 63680 722749 8.8%
51. IL-7 D 61958 703012 8.8%
52. NY-12 D 62077 708096 8.8%
53. IL-9 D 61958 715584 8.7%
54. NY-7 D 62077 724899 8.6%
55. AZ-4 R 60565 707,750 8.6%
56. TX-20 D 60885 716759 8.5%
57. TX-25 R 60575 714682 8.5%
58. IL-4 D 61958 737025 8.4%
59. TX-33 D 59342 710945 8.3%
60. MD-1 R 58487 722628 8.1%
61. WA-8 R 53879 681117 7.9%
62. PA-1 D 52985 678723 7.8%
63. WA-6 D 51483 674679 7.6%
64. OK-4 R 58149 765183 7.6%
65. VA-2 R 55269 730048 7.6%
66. TX-10 R 53682 709456 7.6%
67. GA-6 R 52859 699103 7.6%
68. NY-3 D 54744 724164 7.6%
69. PA-2 D 53954 726364 7.4%
70. WA-9 D 51506 693596 7.4%
71. PA-13 D 53954 728897 7.4%
72. VA-1 R 54572 743824 7.3%
73. MD-7 D 52217 713872 7.3%
74. HI-2 D 49509 684133 7.2%
75. GA-5 D 49373 708828 7.0%
76. SC-6 D 46234 667523 6.9%
77. CA-9 D 46306 707132 6.5%
78. NM-2 R 45345 702936 6.5%
79. HI-1 D 44224 690677 6.4%
80. UT-2 R 44668 705688 6.3%
81. MA-7 D 46341 733814 6.3%
82. FL-17 R 43734 694509 6.3%
83. FL-12 R 44123 701580 6.3%
84. MA-4 D 46117 736769 6.3%
85. CA-3 D 43556 698044 6.2%
86. MA-5 D 45943 737545 6.2%
87. FL-25 R 44223 723113 6.1%
88. WA-1 D 41271 686848 6.0%
89. FL-24 D 41237 693086 5.9%
90. CO-1 D 43852 739671 5.9%
91. AZ-5 R 42136 711,895 5.9%
92. AZ-8 R 42136 715,893 5.9%
93. FL-23 D 41237 703594 5.9%
94. AZ-9 D 42136 722,896 5.8%
95. AZ-7 D 42136 725,197 5.8%
96. NM-3 D 39166 680847 5.8%
97. TX-9 D 39550 691497 5.7%
98. TX-22 R 41129 720879 5.7%
99. AZ-6 R 42136 743,752 5.7%
100.TX-8 R 40827 720727 5.7%
101.NY-10 D 40209 716172 5.6%
102.OK-5 R 42358 762555 5.6%
103.UT-1 R 38657 699943 5.5%
104.TX-36 R 39236 712433 5.5%
105.GA-13 D 39340 718096 5.5%
106.WA-7 D 37099 683158 5.4%
107.FL-14 D 38434 717231 5.4%
108.TX-32 R 37705 711796 5.3%
109.NC-4 D 39407 758619 5.2%
110.TX-18 D 36716 707139 5.2%
111.TX-29 D 36716 718379 5.1%
112.MA-3 D 37316 732090 5.1%
113.TX-2 R 36716 721185 5.1%
114.TX-7 R 36716 726696 5.1%
115.NY-8 D 36142 715905 5.0%
116.NJ-2 R 37004 736397 5.0%
117.TX-5 R 36063 719368 5.0%
118.AL-5 R 33621 691,438 4.9%
119.GA-8 R 33650 693640 4.9%
120.TX-30 D 33372 694383 4.8%
121.OH-16 R 34721 724108 4.8%
122.CA-21 R 34133 714164 4.8%
123.OH-14 R 34178 716967 4.8%
124.NY-13 D 35180 738943 4.8%
125.GA-11 R 32698 689738 4.7%
126.MA-8 D 34382 732884 4.7%
127.FL-8 R 32643 699857 4.7%
128.OH-9 D 33242 718027 4.6%
129.NY-5 D 33995 740327 4.6%
130.NY-2 R 32876 724053 4.5%
131.NC-2 R 33673 744671 4.5%
132.CA-13 D 31857 712144 4.5%
133.MI-11 R 31453 706645 4.5%
134.MI-14 D 31453 707582 4.4%
135.PA-12 R 30768 703764 4.4%
136.NY-14 D 31113 712053 4.4%
137.MO-6 R 32754 753729 4.3%
138.NM-1 D 30132 698441 4.3%
139.MA-6 D 31215 731681 4.3%
140.OH-10 R 30887 725479 4.3%
141.OH-11 D 29885 705659 4.2%
142.FL-22 D 29734 703505 4.2%
143.AZ-2 D 30449 722,918 4.2%
144.GA-4 D 30235 720228 4.2%
145.FL-20 D 29897 713165 4.2%
146.CO-2 D 30084 727317 4.1%
147.FL-21 D 29734 720995 4.1%
148.SC-1 R 27333 667388 4.1%
149.CA-6 D 29131 713579 4.1%
150.NV-4 D 27698 680935 4.1%
151.MO-1 D 29976 739977 4.1%
152.CA-17 D 29082 724244 4.0%
153.CA-5 D 28452 709544 4.0%
154.PA-7 R 27720 692866 4.0%
155.CA-4 R 28452 711815 4.0%
156.FL-1 R 27989 703033 4.0%
157.PA-18 R 28079 711540 3.9%
158.MI-12 D 27614 703389 3.9%
159.NJ-8 D 29099 746415 3.9%
160.NC-1 D 28761 739665 3.9%
161.AL-7 D 26849 690,499 3.9%
162.TX-12 R 27566 710406 3.9%
163.NV-1 D 25413 659962 3.9%
164.NC-7 D 28656 745559 3.8%
165.NJ-7 R 28699 747216 3.8%
166.PA-4 R 27265 710196 3.8%
167.NC-3 R 28765 749823 3.8%
168.PA-11 R 26836 705197 3.8%
169.MN-5 D 25746 677196 3.8%
170.FL-7 R 26644 702203 3.8%
171.TX-6 R 27389 722452 3.8%
172.NY-27 R 26923 713175 3.8%
173.FL-15 R 26944 714155 3.8%
174.CA-20 D 26798 712087 3.8%
175.MN-6 R 25367 675415 3.8%
176.FL-26 D 27299 728285 3.7%
177.PA-14 D 26071 703257 3.7%
178.CA-14 D 26869 726958 3.7%
179.IN-5 R 27012 731702 3.7%
180.CA-15 D 26063 708580 3.7%
181.OH-15 R 26411 719537 3.7%
182.AL-3 R 25026 683,095 3.7%
183.MO-5 D 27290 747573 3.7%
184.WA-10 D 25002 685260 3.6%
185.CA-7 D 25898 710607 3.6%
186.TN-8 R 25729 706748 3.6%
187.VA-7 R 26559 733911 3.6%
188.NV-3 R 25413 703278 3.6%
189.OR-5 D 27868 772980 3.6%
190.FL-4 R 25239 700499 3.6%
191.FL-27 R 25617 712083 3.6%
192.OH-12 R 26143 727728 3.6%
193.IL-14 R 25766 718232 3.6%
194.CT-2 D 25410 711006 3.6%
195.CA-18 D 25403 717397 3.5%
196.CT-3 D 25410 718549 3.5%
197.CT-5 D 24465 709157 3.4%
198.FL-10 R 25412 741792 3.4%
199.TX-17 R 24020 710793 3.4%
200.NC-13 R 24575 732434 3.4%
201.KY-4 R 24487 731100 3.3%
202.NJ-11 R 24179 724761 3.3%
203.FL-9 D 22820 688665 3.3%
204.NC-12 D 24412 737200 3.3%
205.VA-4 R 23842 736977 3.2%
206.MI-13 D 22460 699214 3.2%
207.CO-4 R 23211 722690 3.2%
208.CA-8 R 22439 699443 3.2%
209.MA-2 D 23077 726061 3.2%
210.AK-AL R 22561 710,231 3.2%
211.NJ-10 D 23069 726382 3.2%
212.NY-6 D 21868 707630 3.1%
213.GA-2 D 21500 699490 3.1%
214.MI-9 D 21718 712540 3.0%
215.PA-17 D 21072 694123 3.0%
216.UT-3 R 21340 708809 3.0%
217.TN-9 D 21301 710874 3.0%
218.NJ-4 R 21893 736007 3.0%
219.CA-24 D 21069 708744 3.0%
220.CA-31 R 21532 727523 3.0%
221.IN-7 D 21464 726771 3.0%
222.PA-6 R 21387 727295 2.9%
223.CA-46 D 20863 710948 2.9%
224.OR-1 D 22733 775806 2.9%
225.CA-48 R 20863 711992 2.9%
226.CO-7 D 21202 729216 2.9%
227.AL-2 R 19737 678,860 2.9%
228.CO-5 R 21323 733850 2.9%
229.UT-4 D 20370 702782 2.9%
230.CA-45 R 20863 721016 2.9%
231.LA-2 D 22195 767984 2.9%
232.NY-1 D 20749 720071 2.9%
233.MO-2 R 21659 752403 2.9%
234.LA-1 R 21783 759507 2.9%
235.MN-3 R 19013 664419 2.9%
236.ME-1 D 18983 668,146 2.8%
237.PA-9 R 20067 707435 2.8%
238.OH-2 R 20104 716833 2.8%
239.NH-1 D 18356 660761 2.8%
240.NJ-1 D 20065 727496 2.8%
241.SC-2 R 18576 676492 2.7%
242.OH-3 D 20072 732258 2.7%
243.FL-11 R 19103 700956 2.7%
244.MT-AL R 26759 989415 2.7%
245.FL-18 D 18564 687695 2.7%
246.GA-1 R 18921 703020 2.7%
247.FL-3 R 18778 700008 2.7%
248.OR-3 D 20972 782486 2.7%
249.WI-1 R 18963 710310 2.7%
250.NC-6 R 19847 749909 2.6%
251.RI-1 D 13803 524097 2.6%
252.GA-10 R 18213 694613 2.6%
253.CA-12 D 18338 700605 2.6%
254.NJ-3 R 18989 732131 2.6%
255.CA-1 R 18066 699301 2.6%
256.TX-16 D 18178 707375 2.6%
257.SD-AL R 20911 814180 2.6%
258.NH-2 D 16771 657433 2.6%
259.NY-18 D 18433 726712 2.5%
260.PA-15 R 18304 723086 2.5%
261.TX-31 R 18246 721698 2.5%
262.GA-3 R 17349 687745 2.5%
263.KS-2 R 17846 714459 2.5%
264.WI-5 R 17794 713261 2.5%
265.WI-6 R 17671 709417 2.5%
266.NY-11 R 17939 724434 2.5%
267.CA-16 D 17560 714214 2.5%
268.PA-10 R 17502 712217 2.5%
269.IL-12 D 17528 713289 2.5%
270.CA-22 R 17368 711709 2.4%
271.FL-13 R 16923 694899 2.4%
272.MS-4 R 18208 749289 2.4%
273.NY-16 D 17497 721008 2.4%
274.NY-26 D 17420 719909 2.4%
275.NC-8 R 18145 750059 2.4%
276.WY-AL R 13626 563626 2.4%
277.MA-1 D 17525 728921 2.4%
278.WV-2 R 15004 626469 2.4%
279.IL-17 D 17013 711719 2.4%
280.WV-1 R 14473 614309 2.4%
281.GA-12 D 16587 704537 2.4%
282.ID-1 R 18601 791876 2.3%
283.CA-36 D 16495 713166 2.3%
284.CA-42 R 16495 717412 2.3%
285.AL-6 R 15776 687,709 2.3%
286.CA-41 D 16495 722665 2.3%
287.ID-2 R 18052 793109 2.3%
288.NJ-12 D 16418 732031 2.2%
289.AR-2 R 16567 739,092 2.2%
290.CA-19 D 15563 695402 2.2%
291.RI-2 D 11755 527205 2.2%
292.WI-4 D 15819 715895 2.2%
293.MI-10 R 15492 701831 2.2%
294.NE-2 R 13563 617475 2.2%
295.OR-2 R 16832 770403 2.2%
296.MS-2 D 16205 743249 2.2%
297.WA-5 R 14729 676030 2.2%
298.OH-1 R 15800 729005 2.2%
299.ND-AL R 14489 672591 2.2%
300.MA-9 D 15669 727771 2.2%
301.NJ-9 D 15952 742508 2.1%
302.MO-4 R 16209 755389 2.1%
303.TX-27 R 14693 701765 2.1%
304.PA-8 R 14670 704485 2.1%
305.NJ-6 D 15227 738756 2.1%
306.NE-1 R 12613 616728 2.0%
307.WA-3 R 13915 680915 2.0%
308.MS-3 R 15219 745254 2.0%
309.KY-2 R 14889 733610 2.0%
310.CO-6 R 14959 744526 2.0%
311.CT-4 D 14402 726619 2.0%
312.NY-9 D 14274 739328 1.9%
313.IL-15 R 13803 715066 1.9%
314.ME-2 D 12737 660,042 1.9%
315.OK-2 R 14457 753014 1.9%
316.NY-20 D 13530 720133 1.9%
317.CO-3 R 13310 719526 1.8%
318.IL-13 R 13110 712716 1.8%
319.LA-4 R 13864 758453 1.8%
320.IN-8 R 13079 720783 1.8%
321.TX-34 D 12535 702624 1.8%
322.MI-8 R 12591 706826 1.8%
323.WA-2 D 12062 678014 1.8%
324.PA-16 R 12453 702245 1.8%
325.KY-6 R 12932 733205 1.8%
326.FL-6 R 12376 709868 1.7%
327.AR-4 R 12785 736183 1.7%
328.CA-11 D 12544 722847 1.7%
329.FL-2 R 12146 701463 1.7%
330.WA-4 R 11888 690421 1.7%
331.NC-11 R 12554 730469 1.7%
332.KY-3 D 12470 726812 1.7%
333.NV-2 R 11608 679147 1.7%
334.OR-4 D 13158 770184 1.7%
335.VT-AL D 10624 625741 1.7%
336.NY-4 D 12127 716038 1.7%
337.TN-5 D 12037 713990 1.7%
338.VA-5 R 12169 726376 1.7%
339.WV-3 D 10514 614586 1.7%
340.OK-3 R 12213 745941 1.6%
341.VA-6 R 11995 734204 1.6%
342.NY-21 D 11559 717663 1.6%
343.AL-4 R 10825 682,029 1.6%
344.DE-AL D 14243 897934 1.6%
345.NC-5 R 11502 726638 1.6%
346.WI-7 R 11263 713509 1.6%
347.CT-1 D 11155 715378 1.6%
348.KS-1 R 11131 718350 1.5%
349.FL-19 R 10780 696776 1.5%
350.IA-3 R 11909 770819 1.5%
351.IL-18 R 10878 707238 1.5%
352.MN-7 D 10082 661532 1.5%
353.OH-13 D 10814 723713 1.5%
354.NC-9 R 11069 750582 1.5%
355.CA-10 R 10503 713912 1.5%
356.MI-3 R 10404 709467 1.5%
357.AR-1 R 10671 729,510 1.5%
358.NJ-5 R 10595 731055 1.4%
359.KS-4 R 10282 715456 1.4%
360.CA-2 D 10147 707530 1.4%
361.AL-1 R 9864 689,110 1.4%
362.IA-2 D 10780 766120 1.4%
363.TN-1 R 9933 707424 1.4%
364.PA-3 R 9878 705049 1.4%
365.WI-3 D 9930 710796 1.4%
366.NY-19 R 9919 710597 1.4%
367.TX-4 R 9781 704984 1.4%
368.TX-13 R 9646 698612 1.4%
369.NY-17 D 9914 724191 1.4%
370.MN-8 D 9017 661995 1.4%
371.TX-15 D 9800 722529 1.4%
372.FL-16 R 9508 702795 1.4%
373.KS-3 R 9773 722973 1.4%
374.NC-10 R 9971 740773 1.3%
375.MN-4 D 8993 669310 1.3%
376.VA-9 R 9713 725764 1.3%
377.NY-22 R 9633 720201 1.3%
378.WI-2 D 9627 720334 1.3%
379.SC-3 R 8735 666024 1.3%
380.LA-5 R 10017 765180 1.3%
381.OH-7 R 9463 726076 1.3%
382.MI-1 R 9215 708797 1.3%
383.IN-9 R 9396 726570 1.3%
384.MO-8 R 9655 747756 1.3%
385.PA-5 R 9009 706147 1.3%
386.NY-15 D 9245 731101 1.3%
387.OH-6 R 9056 717143 1.3%
388.TN-7 R 8999 714187 1.3%
389.AR-3 R 9210 733194 1.3%
390.GA-9 R 8966 714378 1.3%
391.NE-3 R 7454 608438 1.2%
392.NY-23 R 8746 717909 1.2%
393.MN-2 R 8112 668891 1.2%
394.MI-7 R 8442 701436 1.2%
395.NY-24 D 8545 713010 1.2%
396.MO-3 R 9128 762347 1.2%
397.MO-7 R 8950 751514 1.2%
398.TN-4 R 8389 708356 1.2%
399.OK-1 R 9039 764815 1.2%
400.IL-16 R 8396 713840 1.2%
401.SC-7 R 7851 667752 1.2%
402.TN-2 R 8270 712089 1.2%
403.KY-1 R 8280 720774 1.1%
404.SC-5 R 7606 662829 1.1%
405.TX-19 R 7989 708642 1.1%
406.IA-4 R 8483 761467 1.1%
407.MI-2 R 7602 709073 1.1%
408.GA-7 R 7211 687296 1.0%
409.TN-3 R 7489 715757 1.0%
410.MS-1 R 7554 740720 1.0%
411.KY-5 R 7285 723855 1.0%
412.TX-14 R 7126 708198 1.0%
413.OH-4 R 7095 721717 1.0%
414.TX-11 R 6844 700744 1.0%
415.LA-6 R 7443 763016 1.0%
416.TN-6 R 6836 713928 1.0%
417.OH-8 R 6778 726266 0.9%
418.OH-5 R 6536 714435 0.9%
419.MI-5 D 5945 698753 0.9%
420.MI-4 R 5943 703259 0.8%
421.MN-1 D 5546 666103 0.8%
422.TX-1 R 5739 703177 0.8%
423.WI-8 R 5553 718245 0.8%
424.IA-1 D 5872 763903 0.8%
425.SC-4 R 5097 671222 0.8%
426.IN-4 R 5530 729244 0.8%
427.NY-25 D 5205 717475 0.7%
428.IN-6 R 5133 720186 0.7%
429.IN-3 R 5073 722205 0.7%
430.IN-2 R 4949 717237 0.7%
431.LA-3 R 4820 760696 0.6%
432.TX-3 R 4333 728269 0.6%
433.MI-6 R 4096 707375 0.6%
434.IN-1 D 4148 722224 0.6%
435.GA-14 R 3732 694398 0.5%