Demographic Profile & Elections of the 117th Congress
As the complexion of the Nation continues to change with each passing day, nowhere is it more evident than in the transformation of political jurisdictions. Minorities, which in this Almanac primarily includes African-Americans, Latinos, Asians, and American Indians, now comprise the majority of the population in over 130 Urban cities (see Table 1.9 in Latino Demographics section). Minorities now have a combined population of 100,000 or more in 403 congressional districts (see Tables 5.3-5.8). This includes a staggering 75 congressional districts over 500,000 (see Table 5.3 & 5.4) . This immense growth demonstrates the continued rise of power in minority communities, heavily driven by Latino and Asian growth. While most people are generally aware of the changes in population and their impact on the politics within their own state, fewer people are aware of the population changes and subsequent political implications occurring in the neighboring states. But what almost everyone can see now, and will be able to see any more of in the future, is the impact of this population change in the composition of the United States Congress.
In the 117th Congress there are more minorities representing house districts than ever before. There are 56 African Americans (when including the District of Columbia) serving in the house, 41 Latinos, and 16 Asians (includes 2 Latino & Black Representatives and 2 Black & Asian Representatives) (see 117th United States Congress Section). Where people go wrong is in assuming that all districts represented by new minorities have minority-majority populations. They don’t. In fact, minorities represent districts in which minorities are the majority of the population, districts in which minorities are not the majority of the population, and districts in which the ethnic or racial group of the representative is neither the majority nor the dominant ethnic or racial group in that particular District. In other words, there are no rules or criteria dictating where minorities can be elected to Congress.