Florida's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida. The district consists of the eastern part of the Florida Panhandle along with much of the Big Bend region along the Emerald Coast. It straddles both the Eastern and Central time zones. It includes Tallahassee, the state capital, and Panama City. With 49% of its residents living in rural areas, it is the least urbanized district in the state, and the voters are generally conservative. The district is represented by Republican Neal Dunn of Panama City.
Characteristics Florida's 2nd Congressional District is the largest congressional district in Florida by land area and consists of all of Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, Wakulla, and Washington counties, as well as portions of Walton and Lafayette.
Most of the territory now in the 2nd was the 9th District from 1963 to 1983; it has been the 2nd since 1983. For most of its existence, the 2nd and its predecessors were centered in Tallahassee, the state capital and county seat of Leon County. While the adjacent 1st and 3rd congressional districts had become the most conservative districts in the state by the 1990s, the 2nd District was historically more of a swing district. With a large population of students, government workers and university faculty, Tallahassee was far more liberal than the rest of the district. Democrat Barack Obama received 62 percent of the Leon County vote in the 2008 presidential election, but Republican John McCain received 54 percent of the 2nd district's vote overall. The district had become somewhat friendlier to Republicans when conservative-leaning Panama City was shifted from the 1st District.
The district was significantly redrawn in a court-ordered redistricting that took effect for the 2016 election, following a lawsuit that challenged the district as gerrymandered, preventing African Americans from being able to elect representatives of their choice although they comprised a significant part of the population in the state. Under the new map, most of Tallahassee, along with nearly all of the 2nd's black residents, were drawn into the 5th District.
To make up for the loss in population, the 2nd was shifted slightly to the south to take in territory previously in the nearby 3rd and 11th districts. On paper, the new 2nd was more than 12 points more Republican than its predecessor. Mitt Romney had carried the old 2nd in 2012 although he received only 52 percent of the vote. By comparison, Romney would have carried the new 2nd with 64 percent of the vote in 2012, making it on paper the third-most Republican district in the state.
Voting Recent election results from statewide races Year Office ResultsThe Downballot: Florida 2024 pres-by-CD 2008 PresidentMcCain 53% - 46%2010 SenateRubio 50% - 21% GovernorSink 53% - 47% Attorney GeneralBondi 50% - 41% Chief Financial OfficerAtwater 48% - 47%2012 PresidentRomney 54% - 46% SenateNelson 55% - 45%2014 GovernorScott 53% - 47%2016 PresidentTrump 54% - 42% SenateRubio 55% - 41%2018 SenateScott 53% - 47% GovernorDeSantis 53% - 46% Attorney GeneralMoody 55% - 43% Chief Financial OfficerPatronis 57% - 43%2020 PresidentTrump 55% - 44%2022 SenateRubio 60% - 39% GovernorDeSantis 62% - 38% Attorney GeneralMoody 64% - 36% Chief Financial OfficerPatronis 64% - 36%2024 PresidentTrump 59% - 41% SenateScott 60% - 38%
Voter registration Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of February 20, 2024 Party Voters Percentage Republican218,080 42.98% Democratic187,805 37.01% No Party Affiliation 84,548 17.90%
Composition
For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:
Bay County (13) All 13 communities
Calhoun County (2) Altha, Blountstown
Franklin County (4)
All 4 communities
Gadsden County (6)
All 6 communities
Gulf County (2)
Port St. Joe, Wewahitchka
Holmes County (5)
All 5 communities Jackson County (11) All 11 communities
Jefferson County (6) All 6 communities
Lafayette County (1) Day (part; also 3rd)
Leon County (7) All 7 communities Liberty County (4) All 4 communities Madison County (3) All 3 communities Taylor County (2) Perry, Steinhatchee Wakulla County (4) All 4 communities Walton County (1) DeFuniak Springs Washington County (5) All 5 communities
List of members representing the district Representative Party Years Congress Electoral history District location District created March 4, 1875 Josiah T. Walls Republican March 4, 1875 –April 19, 1876 Redistricted from the .Lost contested election. Jesse J. Finley Democratic April 19, 1876 –March 3, 1877 Won contested election. Lost re-election. Horatio Bisbee Jr. Republican March 4, 1877 –February 20, 1879 Elected in 1876. Lost contested election. Jesse J. Finley Democratic February 20, 1879 –March 3, 1879 Won contested election.Retired. Noble A. Hull Democratic March 4, 1879 –January 22, 1881 Elected in 1878. Lost contested election. Horatio Bisbee Jr. Republican January 22, 1881 –March 3, 1881 Won contested election.Re-elected in 1880. Jesse J. Finley Democratic March 4, 1881 –June 1, 1882 Elected in 1880. Lost contested election. Horatio Bisbee Jr. Republican June 1, 1882 –March 3, 1885 Won contested election.Re-elected in 1882.Lost re-election. Charles Dougherty Democratic March 4, 1885 –March 3, 1889 Elected in 1884.Re-elected in 1886.Retired. Robert Bullock Democratic March 4, 1889 –March 3, 1893 Elected in 1888.Re-elected in 1890.Retired. Charles M. Cooper Democratic March 4, 1893 –March 3, 1897 Elected in 1892.Re-elected in 1894.Retired. Robert W. Davis Democratic March 4, 1897 –March 3, 1905 Elected in 1896.Re-elected in 1898.Re-elected in 1900.Re-elected in 1902.Retired to run for Governor of Florida. Frank Clark Democratic March 4, 1905 –March 3, 1925 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.Re-elected in 1920.Re-elected in 1922.Lost renomination. Robert A. Green Democratic March 4, 1925 –January 3, 1943 Elected in 1924.Re-elected in 1926.Re-elected in 1928.Re-elected in 1930.Re-elected in 1932.Re-elected in 1934.Re-elected in 1936.Re-elected in 1938.Re-elected in 1940.Redistricted to the . Emory H. Price Democratic January 3, 1943 –January 3, 1949 Elected in 1942.Re-elected in 1944.Re-elected in 1946.Lost renomination. Charles E. Bennett Democratic January 3, 1949 –January 3, 1967 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.Re-elected in 1962.Re-elected in 1964.Redistricted to the . Don Fuqua Democratic January 3, 1967 –January 3, 1987 Redistricted from the and 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.Retired. Bill Grant Democratic January 3, 1987 –February 21, 1989 Elected in 1986.Re-elected in 1988.Lost re-election. Republican February 21, 1989 –January 3, 1991 Pete Peterson Democratic January 3, 1991 –January 3, 1997 Elected in 1990.Re-elected in 1992.Re-elected in 1994.Retired. Allen Boyd Democratic January 3, 1997 –January 3, 2011 Elected in 1996.Re-elected in 1998.Re-elected in 2000.Re-elected in 2002.Re-elected in 2004.Re-elected in 2006.Re-elected in 2008.Lost re-election. 2003–2013 Steve Southerland Republican January 3, 2011 –January 3, 2015 Elected in 2010.Re-elected in 2012.Lost re-election. 2013–2023Gwen Graham Democratic January 3, 2015 –January 3, 2017 Elected in 2014.Retired due to redistricting.Neal Dunn Republican January 3, 2017 –present Elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Re-elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022Re-elected in 2024.Retiring at the end of term. 2017–2023 2023–present
Election results
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Notes
References
Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present