New York's 8th congressional district

New York's 8th congressional district is a United States congressional district currently representing a heavily Democratic section of New York City. The district, re-established following the 2020 census, encompasses parts of Brooklyn and Queens, including neighborhoods such as Crown Heights, Park Slope, Sunset Park, and parts of Kew Gardens. Its current representative is Hakeem Jeffries, who also serves as the House Minority Leader.

History

The district has a long and varied history, first established in 1793 after the 1790 United States census. Its geographic composition and political character have shifted dramatically over centuries, historically covering areas of Manhattan and later Long Island. For much of the 20th century, the district was a Democratic stronghold represented by notable figures like Emanuel Celler, the longtime chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Following the 2010 redistricting cycle, the district was eliminated, with its territory largely absorbed by New York's 7th and 9th districts. It was revived after the 2022 redistricting process overseen by a state court special master, creating its current configuration.

Geography

The district is entirely within New York City, spanning the East River to connect communities in southwestern Brooklyn and central Queens. Key Brooklyn neighborhoods include Prospect Heights, Gowanus, Red Hook, and Borough Park. In Queens, it includes Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, and sections of Woodhaven. The district borders several other congressional districts, including New York's 7th, New York's 9th, and New York's 5th. Major thoroughfares include Prospect Expressway, Belt Parkway, and Atlantic Avenue.

Demographics

According to data from the 2020 U.S. Census, the district has a population of approximately 776,159. It is one of the most diverse districts in the nation, with no single racial or ethnic group constituting a majority. A significant portion of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino (33.5%), with large communities of Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Mexican heritage. The district is also home to substantial African American (20.8%), White (30.5%), and Asian (11.5%) populations, including many residents of Chinese, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani descent. A notable Orthodox Jewish community resides in Borough Park.

Recent election results

The district is considered one of the safest Democratic seats in the country, with a Partisan Voting Index of D+35. In the 2022 election, following the district's revival, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was elected with over 72% of the vote against Republican Yuri Dashevsky. This result was consistent with the district's performance in presidential elections; in the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden carried the area by a margin of more than 50 percentage points over Donald Trump. Similar margins were recorded in the 2024 election.

List of representatives

A partial list of representatives from the district includes early figures like John J. Rooney and James H. Scheuer. The most historically significant representative was Emanuel Celler, who served from 1923 to 1973 and was instrumental in passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Following Celler's defeat in a primary by Elizabeth Holtzman, the seat was later held by Charles Schumer from 1981 to 1999, before he was elected to the United States Senate. Jerrold Nadler represented a version of the district from 1992 until its dissolution in 2013. Since its revival, the district has been represented by Hakeem Jeffries.

Category:New York (state) congressional districts