Illinois's 4th Congressional District
The 4th Congressional District of Illinois includes part of Cook County, and has been represented by Democrat Luis Gutierrez since January 1993.
It was featured by The Economist as one of the most strangely drawn and gerrymandered congressional districts in the country and has been nicknamed "earmuffs" due to its shape. It was created to contain two majority Hispanic parts of Chicago.
This district covers two strips running east-west across the city of Chicago, Illinois on the west side continuing into smaller portion of some suburban areas in Cook County, surrounding Illinois' 7th congressional district. The northern portion is largely Puerto Rican, while the southern portion is heavily Mexican. The two sections are on opposite sides of the city and are only connected by a piece of Interstate 294 to the west; the highway is in the district while the surrounding areas are not. It is the smallest congressional district in area outside of New York City and San Francisco.
Although today the 4th congressional district is one of the most Democratic in the nation, two of the most famous representatives to represent the 4th congressional district have been Republicans: Edward Derwinski, the first United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and Stephen A. Hurlbut, commander of the Army of the Gulf during the Civil War.
Read more about Illinois's 4th Congressional District: 2011 Redistricting, Voting, Geography, History, List of Representatives
Famous quotes containing the words illinois and/or district:
“An Illinois woman has invented a portable house which can be carried about in a cart or expressed to the seashore. It has also folding furniture and a complete camping outfit.”
—Lydia Hoyt Farmer (1842–1903)
“Most works of art, like most wines, ought to be consumed in the district of their fabrication.”
—Rebecca West (1892–1983)