Kentucky's 5th congressional district

It 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.

[6] Within the district are the economic leading cities of Ashland, Pikeville, Prestonsburg, Middlesboro, Hazard, Jackson, Morehead, London, and Somerset.

Much of the region now in the district strongly supported the Union in the Civil War, and identified with the Republicans after hostilities ceased.

Geographically, the district consists of flat land areas to the west, to Appalachia highland mountains to the east and southeast.

Until January 1, 2006, Kentucky did not track party affiliation for registered voters who were neither Democratic nor Republican.

Sign in front of the McCracken, Kentucky Courthouse (in Paducah, Kentucky ) commemorating early members of the U.S. House of Representatives representing Jackson Purchase (U.S. historical region) . The "First District" in the title actually changed over time. It refers to the Jackson Purchase, which was in the 5th district from 1819 to 1823, the 12th district until 1833, and then the 1st district until the end of the sign's lineage in 1855.