Florida's 3rd congressional district is an electoral district of the United States House of Representatives located in Florida. It presently comprises a large section of north central Florida, including the entire counties of Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Levy, Suwannee, and Union, along with the majority of Lafayette and Marion County. The city of Gainesville is in the district as well as part of Ocala (its northern suburbs), and portions of the Jacksonville metropolitan area.
Redistricting in Florida, effective for the 2012 federal elections, radically altered the nature of the 3rd district. From 1993 through 2012 the district called the 3rd district comprised an entirely different territory, roughly similar to the 5th district . Likewise the present territory of the new 3rd district, as of the 2012 elections, is made up of parts of the former 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th districts, though it is geographically similar to the pre-2013 6th district. The former 3rd district was an intentionally gerrymandered territory designed to unite disparate areas of northeastern Florida with significant African-American populations into a black-majority district, and was overwhelmingly Democratic in voting patterns.
The new 3rd district has a majority white population, largely in rural areas and small towns. The only cities of any size in the district are Gainesville and Ocala. The district has been represented by Republican Kat Cammack since 2021.
While Florida has had at least three congressional districts since the 1900 U.S. census, the 1993–2012 3rd congressional district dates to reapportionment done by the Florida Legislature after the 1990 U.S. census. Because Florida has a large population of African Americans, but not a large enough concentration anywhere in the state to easily configure a congressional district with a majority, there were several attempts to create a few gerrymandered districts which were certain to elect an African American candidate. This created an odd coalition of black Democrats and Republicans who supported such districts (since this not only created black-majority districts, but also made "safer" Republican districts elsewhere). This effort was opposed by many white Democrats, but eventually, this idea won the support of the state legislature and this district was created as a result.
The 1993–2012 3rd congressional district was geographically diverse. Starting from the southern part of the district, it included the Pine Hills area of the Orlando-Kissimmee Metropolitan Area with small pockets of African-American neighborhoods in the cities of Sanford, Gainesville, Palatka, and finally the larger African American communities of Jacksonville. Connecting these areas were regions that are sparsely populated—either expansive rural areas or narrow strips which are only a few miles wide. Barack Obama received 73% of the vote in this district in the 2008 Presidential election. The old 3rd district was represented from 1993 through 2012 by Corrine Brown, who was elected to the similar new 5th district in the November 2012 elections.
Voting
Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results2008 PresidentMcCain 53% - 46%2010 SenateRubio 52% - 21% GovernorScott 52% - 48% Attorney GeneralBondi 54% - 38% Chief Financial OfficerAtwater 54% - 36%2012 PresidentRomney 56% - 44% SenateNelson 53% - 47%2014 GovernorScott 55% - 45%2016 PresidentTrump 55% - 41% SenateRubio 57% - 39%2018 SenateScott 54% - 45% GovernorDeSantis 55% - 43% Attorney GeneralMoody 58% - 41% Chief Financial OfficerPatronis 57% - 43%2020 PresidentTrump 57% - 42%2022 SenateRubio 62% - 37% GovernorDeSantis 64% - 35% Attorney GeneralMoody 65% - 35% Chief Financial OfficerPatronis 64% - 36%2024 PresidentTrump 60% - 39% SenateScott 60% - 38%
Voter registration
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:
Alachua County (9) All 9 communities
Baker County (2)
Macclenny, Glen St. Mary
Bradford County (4)
All 4 communities
Columbia County (4)
All 4 communities
Dixie County (3)
All 3 communities
Gilchrist County (4)
All 4 communities
Hamilton County (3)
All 3 communities
Lafayette County (2)
Day (part; also 2nd), Mayo
Levy County (16)
All 16 communities
Marion County (11)
Dunnellon, McIntosh, Ocala, Ocala Estates, On Top of the World, Rainbow Lakes Estates (shared with Levy County), Liberty Triangle, Marion Oaks, Rainbow Park, Rainbow Springs, Reddick
Suwanne County (2)
Branford, Live Oak
Union County (3)
All 3 communities
List of members representing the district Member Party Years Congress Electoral history District location District created March 4, 1903 William B. Lamar Democratic March 4, 1903 –March 3, 1909 Elected in 1902.Re-elected in 1904.Re-elected in 1906.Retired to run for U.S. senator. Dannite H. Mays Democratic March 4, 1909 –March 3, 1913 Elected in 1908.Re-elected in 1910.Lost renomination. Emmett Wilson Democratic March 4, 1913 –March 3, 1917 Elected in 1912.Re-elected in 1914.Lost renomination. Walter Kehoe Democratic March 4, 1917 –March 3, 1919 Elected in 1916.Lost renomination. John H. Smithwick Democratic March 4, 1919 –March 3, 1927 Elected in 1918.Re-elected in 1920.Re-elected in 1922.Re-elected in 1924.Lost renomination. Tom Yon Democratic March 4, 1927 –March 3, 1933 Elected in 1926.Re-elected in 1928.Re-elected in 1930.Lost renomination. Millard Caldwell Democratic March 4, 1933 –January 3, 1941 Elected in 1932.Re-elected in 1934.Re-elected in 1936.Re-elected in 1938.Retired to run for U.S. senator. Bob Sikes Democratic January 3, 1941 –October 19, 1944 Elected in 1940.Re-elected in 1942.Resigned to enter the U.S. Army. Vacant October 19, 1944 –January 3, 1945 Bob Sikes Democratic January 3, 1945 –January 3, 1963 Re-elected in November 1944 when the President orderedall legislators on active military duty to return to Washington.Re-elected in 1946.Re-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.Redistricted to the . Claude Pepper Democratic January 3, 1963 –January 3, 1967 Elected in 1962.Re-elected in 1964.Redistricted to the . Charles E. Bennett Democratic January 3, 1967 –January 3, 1993 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.Re-elected in 1986.Re-elected in 1988.Re-elected in 1990.Redistricted to the and retired. Corrine Brown Democratic January 3, 1993 –January 3, 2013 Elected in 1992.Re-elected in 1994.Re-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.Re-elected in 2010.Redistricted to the . 1993–2003 2003–2013 Ted Yoho Republican January 3, 2013 –January 3, 2021 Elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Retired. 2013–2017 2017–2023 Kat Cammack Republican January 3, 2021 –present Elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022.Re-elected in 2024. 2023–present
Recent 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