Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district of the United States House of Representatives in southern Wisconsin, covering Dane County, Iowa County, Lafayette County, Sauk County and Green County, as well as portions of Richland County and Rock County. The district includes Madison, the state's capital, its suburbs and the surrounding areas. The district also includes the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus, and like many districts of this era anchored by a college town, the district is overwhelmingly Democratic.
The district is currently represented by Democrat Mark Pocan, who succeeded current Senator Tammy Baldwin in 2013.
Since the late 1990s, the district has tilted more and more Democratic, due to the presence of the heavily Democratic capital city, Madison, and the increasingly Democratic suburbs and exurbs surrounding the city—the fastest growing region in the state. The 2002 court-ordered redistricting also accelerated this trend by removing several of the more Republican-leaning areas of the district into the 3rd congressional district. Since the implementation of that map, only the Milwaukee-based 4th district is more Democratic. John Kerry won the district in 2004 with 62% of the vote. Barack Obama also swept the district in 2008 with 69% of the vote to John McCain's 30%. Donald Trump received the lowest percentage vote of a major party presidential candidate in the district in the 21st century, with 29% in both 2016 and 2020, to Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden’s 66% and 69% respectively.
Counties and municipalities within the district For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties, towns, and municipalities:https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST55/CD118_WI02.pdf
Dane County (60) All 60 towns and municipalities
Green County (24) All 24 towns and municipalities
Iowa County (29) All 29 towns and municipalities
Lafayette County (28) All 28 towns and municipalities
Rock County (18) Avon, Beloit (city) (part; also 1st), Beloit (town) (part; also 1st), Center, Edgerton (shared with Dane County), Evansville, Footville, Fulton, Janesville (city) (part; also 1st), Janesville (town) (part; also 1st), Magnolia, Newark, Orfordville, Porter, Plymouth, Rock (part; also 1st), Spring Valley, Union
Sauk County (34) Baraboo (city), Baraboo (town), Bear Creek, Dellona, Delton, Excelsior, Fairfield, Franklin, Freedom, Greenfield, Honey Creek, Ironton (town) (part; also 3rd), Lake Delton, Loganville, Merrimac (town), Merrimac (village), North Freedom, Plain, Prairie du Sac (town), Prairie du Sac (village), Reedsburg (city), Reedsburg (town), Rock Springs, Spring Green, Sauk City, Spring Green (town), Spring Green (village), Sumpter, Troy, Washington, West Baraboo, Westfield, Winfield, Wisconsin Dells (part; also 3rd and 6th; shared with Adams, Columbia, and Juneau counties)
List of members representing the district Member Party Date Congress Electoral history District District established June 9, 1848 Mason C. Darling Democratic June 9, 1848 –March 3, 1849 Elected to the short term in 1848.Retired. Brown, Calumet, Chippewa, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, , Grant, Iowa, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Marquette, Portage, Richland, Sauk, Sheboygan, Washington, & Winnebago counties Orsamus Cole Whig March 4, 1849 –March 3, 1851 Elected to the regular term in 1848.Lost re-election. Adams, Chippewa, Crawford, Dane, Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Portage, Richland, Rock, Sauk, counties (, Buffalo, Burnett, Douglas, Dunn, , Jackson, Juneau, , Marathon, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Trempealeau, & Wood counties created from this territory during the 1850s) Ben C. Eastman Democratic March 4, 1851 –March 3, 1855 Elected in 1850.Re-elected in 1852.Retired. Cadwallader C. Washburn Republican March 4, 1855 –March 3, 1861 Elected in 1854.Re-elected in 1856.Re-elected in 1858.Retired. Luther Hanchett Republican March 4, 1861 –November 24, 1862 Elected in 1860.Died. Vacant November 24, 1862 –January 26, 1863 Walter D. McIndoe Republican January 26, 1863 –March 3, 1863 Elected to finish Hanchett's term.Redistricted to the . Ithamar Sloan Republican March 4, 1863 –March 3, 1867 Elected in 1862.Re-elected in 1864.Retired. Columbia, Dane, Jefferson, & Rock counties Benjamin F. Hopkins Republican March 4, 1867 –January 1, 1870 Elected in 1866.Re-elected in 1868.Died. Vacant January 1, 1870 –February 23, 1870 David Atwood Republican February 23, 1870 –March 3, 1871 Elected to finish Hopkins's term.Retired. Gerry Whiting Hazelton Republican March 4, 1871 –March 3, 1875 Elected in 1870.Re-elected in 1872.Retired. Columbia, Dane, Jefferson, & Sauk counties Lucien B. Caswell Republican March 4, 1875 –March 3, 1883 Elected in 1874.Re-elected in 1876.Re-elected in 1878.Re-elected in 1880.Lost renomination. Daniel H. Sumner Democratic March 4, 1883 –March 3, 1885 Elected in 1882.Retired. Dodge, , Washington, & Waukesha counties Edward S. Bragg Democratic March 4, 1885 –March 3, 1887 Elected in 1884.Lost renomination. Richard W. Guenther Republican March 4, 1887 –March 3, 1889 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1886.Retired. Charles Barwig Democratic March 4, 1889 –March 3, 1895 Elected in 1888.Re-elected in 1890.Re-elected in 1892.Lost re-election. Columbia, Dane, Dodge, & Jefferson counties Edward Sauerhering Republican March 4, 1895 –March 3, 1899 Elected in 1894.Re-elected in 1896.Retired. Herman Dahle Republican March 4, 1899 –March 3, 1903 Elected in 1898.Re-elected in 1900.Lost renomination. Henry Cullen Adams Republican March 4, 1903 –July 9, 1906 Elected in 1902.Re-elected in 1904.Died. Adams, Columbia, Dane, Jefferson, , & Marquette counties Vacant July 9, 1906 –September 4, 1906 John M. Nelson Republican September 4, 1906 –March 3, 1913 Elected to finish Adams's term.Re-elected in 1906.Re-elected in 1908.Re-elected in 1910.Redistricted to the . Michael E. Burke Democratic March 4, 1913 –March 3, 1917 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1912.Re-elected in 1914.Lost re-election. Columbia, Dodge, Jefferson, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, & Washington counties Edward Voigt Republican March 4, 1917 –March 3, 1927 Elected in 1916.Re-elected in 1918.Re-elected in 1920.Re-elected in 1922.Re-elected in 1924.Retired. Charles A. Kading Republican March 4, 1927 –March 3, 1933 Elected in 1926.Re-elected in 1928.Re-elected in 1930.Lost renomination. Charles W. Henney Democratic March 4, 1933 –January 3, 1935 Elected in 1932.Lost re-election. Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, & Waukesha counties Harry Sauthoff Progressive January 3, 1935 –January 3, 1939 Elected in 1934.Re-elected in 1936.Lost re-election. Charles Hawks Jr. Republican January 3, 1939 –January 3, 1941 Elected in 1938.Lost re-election. Harry Sauthoff Progressive January 3, 1941 –January 3, 1945 Elected in 1940.Re-elected in 1942.Lost re-election. Robert Kirkland Henry Republican January 3, 1945 –November 20, 1946 Elected in 1944.Re-elected in 1946 but died before next term began. Vacant November 20, 1946 –April 22, 1947 Glenn Robert Davis Republican April 22, 1947 –January 3, 1957 Elected to finish Henry's term.Re-elected in 1948.Re-elected in 1950.Re-elected in 1952.Re-elected in 1954.Retired to run for U.S. senator. Donald Edgar Tewes Republican January 3, 1957 –January 3, 1959 Elected in 1956.Lost re-election. Robert Kastenmeier Democratic January 3, 1959 –January 3, 1991 Elected in 1958.Re-elected in 1960.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.Re-elected in 1978.Re-elected in 1980.Re-elected in 1982.Re-elected in 1984.Re-elected in 1986.Re-elected in 1988.Lost re-election. Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, & Jefferson counties Columbia, Dane, Iowa, Lafayette, & Sauk counties & Columbia, Dane, Iowa, Lafayette, & Sauk counties & Scott Klug Republican January 3, 1991 –January 3, 1999 Elected in 1990.Re-elected in 1992.Re-elected in 1994.Re-elected in 1996.Retired. 1993–2003 Tammy Baldwin Democratic January 3, 1999 –January 3, 2013 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.Retired to run for U.S. senator. 2003–2013 Mark Pocan Democratic January 3, 2013 –present Elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Re-elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022.Re-elected in 2024. 2013–2023 2023–present
Recent election results 2002 district boundaries (2002–2011) Year Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 2002 Democratic 163,313 66.01% Rep. 83,694 33.83% 247,410 79,619 2004 Democratic 251,637 63.27% Rep. 145,810 36.66% 397,724 105,827 2006 Democratic 191,414 62.82% Rep. 113,015 37.09% 304,688 78,399 2008 Democratic 277,914 69.33% Rep. 122,513 30.56% 400,841 155,401 2010 Democratic 191,164 61.77% Rep. 118,099 38.16% 309,460 73,065
2011 district boundaries (2012–2021) Year Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 2012 Democratic 265,422 67.90% Rep. 124,683 31.90% 390,898 140,739 Ind. 6 0.00% 2014 Democratic 224,920 68.40% Rep. 103,619 31.51% 328,847 121,301 2016 Democratic 273,537 68.72% Rep. 124,044 31.16% 398,060 149,493 2018 Democratic 309,116 97.42% Rep. 29 0.01% 317,295 300,975 Ind. 8 0.00% Dem. 1 0.00% 2020 Democratic 318,523 69.67% Rep. 138,306 30.25% 457,205 180,217
2022 district boundaries (2022–2031)
Year Date Elected Defeated Total Plurality 2022 Democratic 268,740 70.99% Rep. 101,890 26.92% 378,537 166,850 Ind. 7,689 2.03%2024Nov. 5Mark Pocan(inc.) Democratic320,31770.1Erik Olsen Rep.136,35729.8320,317
Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results2008 PresidentObama 70% - 28%2010 SenateFeingold 66% - 33% GovernorBarrett 64% - 35% Secretary of StateLa Follette 67% - 33% Attorney GeneralHassett 57% - 43% TreasurerMarie Sass 61% - 39%2012 PresidentObama 69% - 31% SenateBaldwin 66% - 32% Governor (Recall)Barrett 65% - 35%2014 GovernorBurke 66% - 33% Secretary of StateLa Follette 67% - 29% Attorney GeneralHapp 64% - 33% TreasurerSartori 60% - 31%2016 PresidentClinton 66% - 28% SenateFeingold 68% - 30%2018 SenateBaldwin 74% - 26% GovernorEvers 71% - 28% Secretary of StateLa Follette 72% - 28% Attorney GeneralKaul 69% - 29% TreasurerGodlewski 70% - 28%2020 PresidentBiden 70% - 28%2022 SenateBarnes 72% - 28% GovernorEvers 73% - 26% Secretary of StateLa Follette 70% - 26% Attorney GeneralKaul 72% - 28% TreasurerRichardson 70% - 28%2024 PresidentHarris 69% - 29% SenateBaldwin 70% - 29%
References
External links 2nd Congressional District of Wisconsin
Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present