Rhode Island's at-large congressional district

The Rhode Island at-large congressional district is currently obsolete, with representation divided into two districts.

Rhode Island's at-large congressional district
Obsolete district
Created1790
Eliminated1840
Years active1790–1843

From 1790 to 1843, Rhode Island elected members to the United States House of Representatives at-large:

  • From 1790 to 1793, one member represented the state.
  • From 1793 to 1843, two members represented the state at-large.

List of members representing the district

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Cong
ress
Years Seat A Seat B
Representative Party Electoral history Representative Party Electoral history
1st August 31, 1790 –
March 3, 1791
 
Benjamin Bourne
(Bristol)
Pro-Admin Elected in August 1790.
Re-elected in October 1790.
Re-elected in 1792.
Re-elected in 1794.
Re-elected in 1796, but declined the seat and resigned.
Seat created in 1793
2nd March 3, 1791 –
March 3, 1793
3rd March 3, 1793 –
March 3, 1795
 
Francis Malbone
(Newport)
Pro-Admin Elected in 1792.
Re-elected in 1794.
Retired.
4th March 4, 1795 –
1796
Federalist Federalist
1796 –
November 15, 1796
Vacant
November 15, 1796 –
March 3, 1797
 
Elisha Reynolds Potter
(Kingston)
Federalist Elected to finish Bourne's term and to the next term.
Resigned.
5th March 4, 1797 –
1797
 
Christopher G. Champlin
(Newport)
Federalist Elected in 1796.
Re-elected in 1798.
Lost re-election.
1797 –
November 13, 1797
Vacant
November 13, 1797 –
March 3, 1799
Thomas Tillinghast
(East Greenwich)
Federalist Elected to finish Potter's term.
Lost re-election.
6th March 4, 1799 –
March 3, 1801
 
John Brown
(Providence)
Federalist Elected in 1798.
Lost re-election.
7th March 4, 1801 –
March 3, 1803
Joseph Stanton Jr.
(Charlestown)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1800.
Re-elected in 1802.
Re-elected in 1804.
Retired.
Thomas Tillinghast
(East Greenwich)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1800.
Lost re-election.
8th March 4, 1803 –
March 3, 1805
Nehemiah Knight
(Cranston)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1802.
Re-elected in 1804.
Re-elected in 1806.
Died.
9th March 4, 1805 –
March 3, 1807
10th March 4, 1807 –
March 3, 1808
 
Isaac Wilbour
(Little Compton)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1806.
Lost re-election.
March 4, 1808 –
June 13, 1808
June 13, 1808 –
November 11, 1808
Vacant
November 11, 1808 –
March 3, 1809
 
Richard Jackson Jr.
(Providence)
Federalist Elected August 30, 1808 to finish Knight's term and seated November 11, 1808.
Also elected the same day to the next term.
Re-elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1812.
Retired.
11th March 4, 1809 –
March 3, 1811
 
Elisha Reynolds Potter
(Kingston)
Federalist Elected in 1808.
Re-elected in 1810.
Re-elected in 1812.
Retired.
12th March 4, 1811 –
March 3, 1813
13th March 4, 1813 –
March 3, 1815
14th March 4, 1815 –
March 3, 1817
John Linscom Boss Jr.
(Newport)
Federalist Elected in 1814.
Elected in 1816.
Retired.
 
James Brown Mason
(Providence)
Federalist Elected in 1814.
Elected in 1816.
Retired.
15th March 4, 1817 –
March 3, 1819
16th March 4, 1819 –
December 17, 1820
 
Samuel Eddy
(Providence)
Democratic-Republican[a] Elected in 1818.
Re-elected in 1820.
Re-elected in 1822.
Lost re-election.
Nathaniel Hazard
(Newport)
Democratic-Republican Elected in 1818.
Lost re-election then died.
December 17, 1820 –
March 3, 1821
Vacant
17th March 4, 1821 –
March 3, 1823
Job Durfee
(Tiverton)
Democratic-Republican[a] Elected in 1820.
Re-elected in 1822.
Lost re-election.
18th March 4, 1823 –
March 3, 1825
19th March 4, 1825 –
March 3, 1827
 
Tristam Burges
(Providence)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1825.
Re-elected in 1827.
Re-elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
Re-elected in 1833.
Lost re-election.
Dutee Jerauld Pearce
(Newport)
Anti-Jacksonian Elected in 1825 on the second ballot.
Re-elected in 1827.
Re-elected in 1829.
Re-elected in 1831.
Re-elected in 1833.
Re-elected in 1835.
Lost re-election.
20th March 4, 1827 –
March 3, 1829
21st March 4, 1829 –
March 3, 1831
22nd March 4, 1831 –
March 3, 1833
23rd March 4, 1833 –
March 3, 1835
Anti-Masonic
24th March 4, 1835 –
March 3, 1837
 
William Sprague III
(Natick)
Whig Elected in 1835.
Retired.
25th March 4, 1837 –
March 3, 1839
Robert B. Cranston
(Newport)
Whig Elected in 1837.
Re-elected in 1839.
Re-elected in 1841.
Retired.
Joseph L. Tillinghast
(Providence)
Whig Elected in 1837.
Re-elected in 1839.
Re-elected in 1841.
Retired.
26th March 4, 1839 –
March 3, 1841
27th March 4, 1841 –
March 3, 1843

Modern history

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Many 2020 census projections estimated Rhode Island would lose its second congressional district, bringing the at-large district back into existence.[1][2] However, this proved not to be the case, and Rhode Island retained its current districts.[3]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Supported the Adams-Clay faction in the 1824 United States presidential election.

References

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  1. ^ Nesi, Ted (April 12, 2021). "Cicilline raises $650K for 2022 campaign, with RI set to lose a House seat". WPRI. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  2. ^ Peterson, Kristina (April 15, 2021). "Census Data to Reveal Which States Lose, Gain U.S. House Seats". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  3. ^ Marcelo, Philip (April 26, 2021). "Census Surprise: Rhode Island Keeps Both US House Seats". NBC Boston. NBC. Retrieved April 27, 2021.