CQPolitics

Kansas City long has been known for its blues style of jazz and its barbeque grilling. The Democratic 5th takes in some minority, lower-income communities in the city and some suburban middle-class areas in Jackson and Cass counties. Today, Kansas City is the nation’s second-largest rail hub, and a resurgence in high-end loft communities has lured younger, well-to-do residents to the city.

Most of the 5th’s residents live in northern Jackson County cities, with 70 percent of the district’s population either in Kansas City (shared with the 6th) or Independence (a small part of which is in the 6th). The 5th has a strong steel and automobile manufacturing base in the urban and suburban areas of northern Jackson. The federal government also is a large employer in Kansas City, as is Hallmark Cards, although the city’s Marine Corps Support Activity facility closed as part of the 2005 BRAC round.

Overall, the 5th is almost two-thirds white-collar, with tax preparation and personal finance company H&R Block headquartered in the district, and a diverse economic base has helped the district grow into a transportation and telecommunications hub. Many call centers have relocated to the area, which welcomes electronic-based businesses. Meanwhile, many residents travel out of the 5th to work at companies such as Sprint Communications and General Motors. The southern communities depend on agriculture: Despite economic diversification, the 5th is still a viable market for feeder cattle and winter wheat.

With nearly all of Kansas City’s black neighborhoods, the 5th is roughly one-fourth black, and the district is reliably Democratic and socially moderate. Democrats have held the Kansas City seat since 1931, and John Kerry took 59 percent of the district’s 2004 presidential vote.

Major Industry

Auto manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, telecommunications

Cities

Kansas City (pt.), 322,910; Independence (pt.), 110,822; Lee’s Summit (pt.), 65,498; Raytown, 30,388

Notable

Harry S Truman hailed from Independence; The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is in Kansas City; Walt Disney first produced animated cartoons at his Laugh-O-Gram Studio in Kansas City.