Kentucky's 5th congressional district

Kentucky's 5th congressional district is a U.S. House district located in southeastern Kentucky, which represents much of the Eastern Kentucky Coalfield in the heart of Appalachia. The rural district is the second most impoverished district in the nation and, as of the 2010 U.S. census, has the highest percentage of White Americans in the nation. It has been represented by Republican Hal Rogers since 1981.

The district contains the counties of Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Clay, Elliott, Floyd, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Menifee, Morgan, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe, and parts of Bath, and Carter counties. Within the district are the economic leading cities of Ashland, Pikeville, Prestonsburg, Middlesboro, Hazard, Jackson, Morehead, London, and Somerset. It is the most rural district in the United States, with 76.49% of its population in rural areas.

With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+32, it is the most Republican district in Kentucky. The 5th congressional district is one of the few ancestrally Republican regions south of the Ohio River. Much of the region now in the district strongly supported the Union in the Civil War, and identified with the Republicans after hostilities ceased. By contrast, the northeastern portion of the district borders West Virginia. Much of this section of the district was once part of the 7th congressional district, long a Democratic stronghold, which was disbanded in 1992 after the 1990 census. Geographically, the district consists of flat land areas to the west, to Appalachia highland mountains to the east and southeast. To the north and northeast of the district are rolling hills that end at the Ohio River.

Despite the district's strong Republican lean, it features Elliott County, which, before being carried by Donald Trump in 2016, had never voted for a Republican president since its founding in 1869, making it the longest Democratic voting streak. Until 2018, when the county gave Rogers 54.6% of its vote, the county had never voted for Rogers in a contested election, despite him winning at least 65% of the vote in the district in every election except 1992.

Rogers is the dean of the Kentucky delegation and of the entire House of Representatives. Due in part to his seniority, Rogers has served in a number of leadership positions in the chamber.

Voter registration

On January 1, 2026, the district had 541,908 registered voters, who were registered with the following parties.

Recent election results from statewide races

Composition

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties and communities:

Bath County (3)

All 3 communities

Bell County (3)

All 3 communities

Boyd County (5)

All 5 communities

Breathitt County (1)

Jackson

Carter County (2)

Grayson, Olive Hill

Clay County (3)

All 3 communities