CQ Politics

Bordering the Ohio River to the south, the 9th shares socially conservative roots and, more recently, competitive politics with Indiana’s other river valley district (the 8th). Manufacturing forms the economic foundation, although agriculture and retail trade also are prevalent in Indiana’s southeastern quadrant. The district extends as far north as Monroe County to take in almost all of Bloomington.

The 9th’s northeastern counties are seeing an increase in Cincinnati migrants, who have started to change the area from rural to slightly suburban. To the southwest, Clark and Floyd counties are growing as the Louisville metropolitan area grows. More of the 9th’s residents live in Clark than in any of the district’s other 19 counties. Opportunities — in manufacturing, retail and health care — in these growing areas have helped these counties stave off high unemployment and poverty levels that run well above the state average in some of the 9th’s other counties. Elizabeth, in Harrison County south of Louisville, is home to a riverboat casino and resort that is a primary employer in the region. Factories also provide jobs for residents of the small and midsize cities, while corn and soybean fields occupy most of the rural landscape.

Bloomington is home to Indiana University and gives Monroe County a Democratic lean. While the university helps make Monroe one of Indiana’s best-educated counties, the 9th as a whole is blue-collar with a low percentage of college graduates. Despite the district’s Democratic heritage, the area’s social conservatism propelled George W. Bush to double-digit victories here in the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections. In 2006, party control of the U.S. House seat flipped for the second straight election, with voters giving the Democratic winner 50 percent of the vote.

Major Industry

Manufacturing, agriculture, retail

Cities

Bloomington (pt.), 66,459; New Albany, 37,603; Jeffersonville, 27,362

Notable

Larry Bird is from French Lick; The bicycling movie “Breaking Away” features Bloomington’s love for cycling, which is celebrated each October during the Hilly Hundred Bicycle Weekend; The movie “Hoosiers” was based on the state championship success of the 1954 Milan High School basketball team.