U.S. House, Texas - 7th District
Western Houston and suburbs -- Bellaire, West University Place, Jersey Village
Race Forecast: Leans Republican
2008: Rep.
2006: Rep.
Skelly has a background as a wind company executive that he says will be particularly useful in a Congress that next year will promote alternative sources of energy. He’ll need to convince a lot of Republicans to reject Culberson, who’s seeking a fourth term, in a district that gave nearly two-thirds of the vote to President Bush in 2004. If Skelly can’t pull off the upset, it won’t be because he didn’t have the resources. Skelly has given $1 million to his own campaign and had more campaign cash-on-hand ($1.1 million) as October began than any other challenger to a House incumbent.
Race Information
- Incumbent: Rep. John Culberson, R
- First Elected: 2000 (4th term)
- Last Elected: 2006 (59.19%)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Race Forecast: Leans Republican
District Information
Politics in America District Profile
Situated in western Houston, the 7th starts inside the Interstate 610 loop at Main Street south of downtown before moving through the city’s western outposts and into the suburbs. White-collar executives, good schools and religious conservatism characterize much of the 7th, and George W. Bush took 64 percent of the 2004 presidential vote here.
The 7th includes some of Houston’s oil and gas industry, as well as much of the Texas Medical Center, Houston’s museum district (both of which are shared with the 9th and 18th districts), and the Galleria shopping and corporate complex.
The medical center, which collaborates with area universities, employs tens of thousands of area residents. Rice University, which is adjacent to the medical center, focuses on nanotechnology and other applied sciences. An emphasis on attracting technology firms and corporate headquarters has enabled the 7th to enjoy decades of economic growth.
Three-fifths of district residents live in Houston, and the 7th’s share of the city is mostly middle-class. Minorities, mainly Hispanics, make up one-third of the 7th’s population. Northwest Houston has a large Hispanic population, and there are sizable black and Asian populations in southwest Houston. As with other Houston districts, the 7th was a temporary home to evacuees in 2005 after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Close ties to the oil and gas and health care industries make the 7th one of the state’s wealthiest districts. Tony villages Piney Point, Bunker Hill and Hunters Creek, which are near Interstate 10 and surrounded on all sides by Houston, bring up the median income. The 7th also is one of the nation’s top 10 most-educated districts, with half of its residents age 25 years or older having a bachelor’s degree.
Major Industry
Energy, health care, education and research, retail
Cities
Houston (pt.), 390,922; Bellaire, 15,642; West University Place, 14,211
Notable
On Sept. 12, 1962, during a speech at Rice University Stadium, President John F. Kennedy famously proclaimed that an American would reach the moon before the end of that decade.
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population: 651,620
- Under 18: 23.6%
- Over 65: 9.4%
- Married: 55.4%
- Non-Hispanic White: 67%
- Black: 6%
- Hispanic: 18%
- Asian: 7%
- Foreign Born: 18.8%
- Language other than English: 27%
- Median Household Income: 57,846
- Owner Occupied Housing: 55.1%
- Income above $200k: 7
- Workforce/Education (2000 census)
- White Collar: 79.4%
- Blue Collar: 11.3%
- Services: 9.3%
- Bachelor's Degree: 50%
- Graduate Education: 18.2%
- Civilian Veterans: 49,278
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | John Culberson (R) | 162,205 | 55.9% |
| Michael Skelly (D) | 122,832 | 42.3% | ||
| Drew Parks (LIBERT) | 5,036 | 1.7% | ||
| 2006 | general | John Culberson (R) | 99,318 | 59.2% |
| Jim Henley (D) | 64,514 | 38.4% | ||
| Drew Parks (LIBERT) | 3,953 | 2.4% | ||
| 2004 | general | John Culberson (R) | 175,440 | 64.1% |
| John Martinez (D) | 91,126 | 33.3% | ||
| Paul Staton (I) | 3,713 | 1.4% | ||
| Drew Parks (LIBERT) | 3,372 | 1.2% | ||
| 2002 | general | John Culberson (R) | 96,795 | 89.2% |
| Drew Parks (LIBERT) | 11,674 | 10.8% | ||
| John Skone-Palmer (Write-In) | 58 | 0% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 35% | George W. Bush: 64% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 31% | George W. Bush: 69% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BREWER, JOHN MARK (R) | December 31, 2007 | $559,846.00 | |||||
| MARTINEZ, JOHN (D) | June 30, 2007 | $1,511.00 | $3,587.00 | ||||
| MURFF, DAVID LEE (D) | September 30, 2007 | ||||||
| CULBERSON, JOHN (R) | November 24, 2008 | $1,691,349.00 | $1,701,627.00 | $37,500.00 | $1,117,251.00 | $28,260.00 | |
| SKELLY, MICHAEL PETER (D) | November 24, 2008 | $3,080,825.00 | $3,075,786.00 | $25,500.00 | $1,990,655.00 | $5,038.00 | $950,000.00 |
