Massachusetts's 8th congressional district is located in eastern Massachusetts, including the southern fourth of Boston. It is represented by Democrat Stephen Lynch. For one congressional term (1791–1793), it served as the home district of the District of Maine. The district boundaries were significantly changed, as of the elections of 2012, due to redistricting after the 2010 census, with the old 8th district largely being shifted to the new 7th district. The new 8th district comprises many of the communities of the old 9th district, as well as some easternmost Norfolk County communities and northernmost Plymouth County communities of the old 10th district.

This district has the distinction of being the only one ever represented by someone who had previously served as president of the United States, as John Quincy Adams held this office after leaving the presidency from 1843 until his death in 1848.

Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results2008 PresidentObama 59% - 40% SenateKerry 67% - 33%2010 Senate (Spec.)Brown 55% - 45% GovernorPatrick 45% - 42%2012 PresidentObama 60% - 40% SenateWarren 51% - 49%2014 SenateMarkey 62% - 38% GovernorBaker 51% - 45%2016 PresidentClinton 60% - 33%2018 SenateWarren 59% - 38% GovernorBaker 67% - 32% Secretary of the CommonwealthGalvin 74% - 22% Attorney GeneralHealey 71% - 29% Treasurer and Receiver-GeneralGoldberg 69% - 27% AuditorBump 64% - 30%2020 PresidentBiden 67% - 31% SenateMarkey 67% - 33%2022 GovernorHealey 64% - 35% Secretary of the CommonwealthGalvin 70% - 28% Attorney GeneralCampbell 63% - 37% AuditorDiZoglio 55% - 38%2024 PresidentHarris 62% - 35% SenateWarren 59% - 40%

Cities and towns in the district For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of four counties and 21 municipalities:https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST25/CD118_MA08.pdf

Bristol County (1)

Easton

Norfolk County (12)

Avon, Braintree, Canton, Dedham, Holbrook, Milton (part; also 7th), Norwood, Quincy, Stoughton, Walpole, Westwood, Weymouth

Plymouth County (7)

Abington, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Hingham, Hull, West Bridgewater, Whitman

Suffolk County (1)

Boston (part; also 7th)

List of members representing the district Representative Party Years Congress Electoral history District location District created March 4, 1789 Jonathan Grout Anti-Administration March 4, 1789 –March 3, 1791 Elected in 1788.Redistricted to the and lost re-election. 1789–1793Worcester County Vacant March 4, 1791 –April 4, 1791 George Thatcher Pro-Administration April 4, 1791 –March 3, 1793 Redistricted from the and re-elected late in 1791.Redistricted to the . District inactive March 4, 1793 –March 3, 1795 Fisher Ames Federalist March 4, 1795 –March 3, 1797 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1794.Retired. 1795–1803"1st Middle district" Harrison Gray Otis Federalist March 4, 1797 –March 3, 1801 Elected in 1796.Re-elected in 1798.Retired. William Eustis Democratic-Republican March 4, 1801 –March 3, 1803 Elected in 1800.Redistricted to the . Lemuel Williams Federalist March 4, 1803 –March 3, 1805 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1802.Lost re-election. 1803–1815"Barnstable district" Isaiah L. Green Democratic-Republican March 4, 1805 –March 3, 1809 Elected in 1804.Re-elected in 1806.Retired. Gideon Gardner Democratic-Republican March 4, 1809 –March 3, 1811 Elected in 1808.Retired. Isaiah L. Green Democratic-Republican March 4, 1811 –March 3, 1813 Elected in 1810.Lost re-election. John Reed Jr. Federalist March 4, 1813 –March 3, 1815 Elected in 1812.Redistricted to the . William Baylies Federalist March 4, 1815 –March 3, 1817 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1814.Retired. 1815–1823"Plymouth district" Zabdiel Sampson Democratic-Republican March 4, 1817 –July 26, 1820 Elected in 1817 on the second ballot.Resigned to become collector of customs in Plymouth. Vacant July 26, 1820 –November 24, 1820 Aaron Hobart Democratic-Republican November 24, 1820 –March 3, 1823 Elected in 1820.Later elected on the second ballot to finish Sampson's term and seated December 18, 1820.Redistricted to the . Samuel Lathrop Adams-Clay Federalist March 4, 1823 –March 3, 1825 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1822.Re-elected in 1825 on the third ballot. 1823–1833"Hampden district" Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1825 –March 3, 1827Isaac C. Bates Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1827 –March 3, 1835 Elected in 1827 on the third ballot.Re-elected in 1828.Re-elected in 1830.Re-elected in 1833.Retired. 1833–1843 William B. Calhoun Anti-Jacksonian March 4, 1835 –March 3, 1837 Elected in 1834.Re-elected in 1836.Re-elected in 1838.Re-elected in 1840.Retired. Whig March 4, 1837 –March 3, 1843 John Quincy Adams Whig March 4, 1843 –February 23, 1848 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1842.Re-elected in 1844.Re-elected in 1846.Died. 1843–1853"All the towns in Norfolk County; Abington, North Bridgewater, Hingham, and Hull, in the County of Plymouth; and Brighton, Holliston, Natick, Newton, and Sherburne, in the County of Middlesex." Vacant February 23, 1848 –April 2, 1848 Horace Mann Whig April 3, 1848 –March 3, 1853 Elected to finish Adams's term.Re-elected later in 1848.Re-elected in 1850. Tappan Wentworth Whig March 4, 1853 –March 3, 1855 Elected in 1852. 1853–1863"The city of Lowell, and the towns of Acton, Ashby, Ashland, Bedford, Billerica, Boxborough, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Framingham, Groton, Hopkinton, Lincoln, Littleton, Marlborough, Natick, Pepperell, Shirley, Stow, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsborough, Wayland. Westford, and Weston, in the county of Middlesex; and the towns of Berlin, Bolton, Harvard, Lunenburg, Northborough, Southborough, and Westborough, in the county of Worcester." Chauncey L. Knapp Know Nothing March 4, 1855 –March 3, 1857 Elected in 1854.Re-elected in 1856. Republican March 4, 1857 –March 3, 1859 Charles R. Train Republican March 4, 1859 –March 3, 1863 Elected in 1858.Re-elected in 1860. John D. Baldwin Republican March 4, 1863 –March 3, 1869 Elected in 1862.Re-elected in 1864.Re-elected in 1866. 1863–1873 George F. Hoar Republican March 4, 1869 –March 3, 1873 Elected in 1868.Re-elected in 1870.Redistricted to the . John M. S. Williams Republican March 4, 1873 –March 3, 1875 Elected in 1872. 1873–1883"Ashland, Wards 22, 23, 25, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Dedham, Dover, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Sherborn, Southboro', Watertown, Wayland, and Weston." William W. Warren Democratic March 4, 1875 –March 3, 1877 Elected in 1874.Lost re-election. William Claflin Republican March 4, 1877 –March 3, 1881 Elected in 1876.Re-elected in 1878.Retired. John W. Candler Republican March 4, 1881 –March 3, 1883 Elected in 1880. William A. Russell Republican March 4, 1883 –March 3, 1885 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1882. 1883–1893 Charles H. Allen Republican March 4, 1885 –March 3, 1889 Elected in 1884.Re-elected in 1886.Retired. Frederic T. Greenhalge Republican March 4, 1889 –March 3, 1891 Elected in 1888.Lost re-election. Moses T. Stevens Democratic March 4, 1891 –March 3, 1893 Elected in 1890.Redistricted to the . Samuel W. McCall Republican March 4, 1893 –March 3, 1913 Elected in 1892.Re-elected in 1894.Re-elected in 1896.Re-elected in 1898.Re-elected in 1900.Re-elected in 1902.Re-elected in 1904.Re-elected in 1906.Re-elected in 1908.Re-elected in 1910. 1893–1903 Arlington, Boston (wards 9, 10, and 11), Cambridge, Medford, Somerville, and Winchester 1903–1913Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Medford, Somerville, Winchester, Woburn. Frederick Simpson Deitrick Democratic March 4, 1913 –March 3, 1915 Elected in 1912. 1913–1933Middlesex County: Arlington, Belmont, Cambridge, Lexington, Medford, Melrose, Stoneham, Wakefield, Watertown, Winchester. Frederick W. Dallinger Republican March 4, 1915 –March 3, 1925 Elected in 1914.Re-elected in 1916.Re-elected in 1918.Re-elected in 1920.Re-elected in 1922. Harry I. Thayer Republican March 4, 1925 –March 10, 1926 Elected in 1924.Died. Vacant March 10, 1926 –November 2, 1926 Frederick W. Dallinger Republican November 2, 1926 –October 1, 1932 Elected to finish Thayer's term and elected to the next term.Re-elected in 1928.Re-elected in 1930.Resigned to become judge of United States Customs Court. Vacant October 1, 1932 –March 3, 1933 Arthur D. Healey Democratic March 4, 1933 –August 3, 1942 Elected in 1932.Re-elected in 1934.Re-elected in 1936.Re-elected in 1938.Re-elected in 1940.Resigned to become judge of US District Court for Massachusetts. 1933–1943Cambridge (Wards 2, 3), Everett, Malden, Medford, Somerville. Vacant August 3, 1942 –January 3, 1943 Angier Goodwin Republican January 3, 1943 –January 3, 1955 Elected in 1942.Re-elected in 1944.Re-elected in 1946.Re-elected in 1948.Re-elected in 1950.Re-elected in 1952.Lost re-election. 1943–1953Everett, Lynnfield, Malden, Medford, Melrose, N. Reading, Reading, Saugus, Somerville (Wards 4, 5, 6, 7), Stoneham, Wakefield. 1953–1963 Torbert H. Macdonald Democratic January 3, 1955 –January 3, 1963 Elected in 1954.Re-elected in 1956.Re-elected in 1958.Re-elected in 1960.Redistricted to . Tip O'Neill Democratic January 3, 1963 –January 3, 1987 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1962.Re-elected in 1964.Re-elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968.Re-elected in 1970.Re-elected in 1972.Re-elected in 1974.Re-elected in 1976.Re-elected in 1978.Re-elected in 1980.Re-elected in 1982.Re-elected in 1984.Retired. 1963–1973Boston (Wards 1, 2, 3, 21, 22), Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville. 1973–1983Arlington, Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 5, 21, 22), Cambridge, Somerville, Watertown. 1983–1993Arlington, Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, 21, 22), Cambridge, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown. Joe Kennedy II Democratic January 3, 1987 –January 3, 1999 Elected in 1986.Re-elected in 1988.Re-elected in 1990.Re-elected in 1992.Re-elected in 1994.Re-elected in 1996.Retired. 1993–2003Belmont, Boston (Wards 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22), Cambridge, Chelsea, Somerville, Watertown. (Includes geographical history of Massachusetts's 8th congressional district, pre-2013) Mike Capuano Democratic January 3, 1999 –January 3, 2013 Elected in 1998.Re-elected in 2000.Re-elected in 2002.Re-elected in 2004.Re-elected in 2006.Re-elected in 2008.Re-elected in 2010.Redistricted to the . 2003–2013In Middlesex County: Cambridge, and Somerville. In Suffolk County: Boston, Wards 1, 2, Ward 3, Precincts 1–4, 7, 8, Ward 4, Ward 5, Precincts 1, 2, 6–10, Ward 7, Precinct 10, Wards 8–12, Ward 13, Precincts 1, 2, 4–6, Ward 14, Ward 15, Precincts 1–5, 7–9, Ward 16, Precincts 1, 3, Ward 17, Precincts 1–3, 5–12; Ward 18, Precincts 1–8, 13–15, 21, Ward 19, Precincts 1, 3–6, 8, 9, Wards 21 and 22, (the remainder of Boston is in the 9th district), and Chelsea. Stephen Lynch Democratic January 3, 2013 –present Redistricted from the and re-elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Re-elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022.Re-elected in 2024. 2013–2023In Bristol County: Precincts 1 and 2 in Raynham.

In Norfolk County: Avon, Braintree, Canton, Cohasset, Dedham, Holbrook, Milton:Precincts 2–4, and 6–9, Norwood, Quincy, Randolph, Stoughton, Walpole, Westwood, and Weymouth.

In Plymouth County: Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Hingham, Hull, Scituate, West Bridgewater, and Whitman.

In Suffolk County: Boston, Ward 3: Precincts 1–6; Ward 5: Precincts 3–5, 11; Ward 6, Ward 7: Precincts 1–9, Ward 11: Precincts 9 and 10, Ward 13: Precincts 3, 7, and 10, Ward 16: Precincts 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 12, Ward 19: Precincts 1–6, 8, and 9, and Ward 20: Precincts 1, 2, and 4–20. 2023–present

Recent election results

2024

References

Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present

External links

Maps