Jim McDermott is serving his twelfth term in Congress for the Seventh District of Washington State. The district is located in the Pacific Northwest and includes most of Seattle, all of the Vashon Island, along with portions of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Tukwila, Seac, and Burien. A census taken in 2000 recorded that the population of the seventh district was 654,902 and had an annual average income of nearly 46,000 dollars. In this urban area, industries such as information technology, aviation, and architecture are present and very effective. Another industry growing rapidly in the district is green technology, and so far, it has made great strides in improving the regional environment.
             The seventh district is the most Democratic district in the Pacific Northwest and is also the most Democratic majority-white district in the United States today. Democrats control most of the government offices and usually win elections by over seventy percent of the vote in this region. Washington State Republican Party Chairman, Luke Esser, commented in 2008 about the district's demographics, "The demographics of Seattle are such that I do not believe I could bring Abraham Lincoln back to life, that he could be elected in the city of Seattle; people reflexively vote Democrat."
             McDermott, born in Chicago, graduated from Wheaton College and then went on to study medicine at the University of Illinois. Once he moved to Seattle, McDermott believed he could help improve the lives of his fellow citizens, and in 1970 he was elected to the Washington State Legislature. He also served as a member in the State House of Representatives from 1971-1972 and then as a State Senator for twelve years beginning in 1975. McDermott ran for a seat in the U.S. Congress in 1988 to represent the seventh district and replaced the incumbent, Mike Lowry, after five terms. Jim McDermott has faced little to no threat to his seat in Congres...