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Jim McGovern

U.S. House · MA-2 · Democrats · since 2025

also

Candidate for U.S. House · MA-2

Target James

Biography

Overview

Jim McGovern is a Democratic member of the U.S. House representing Massachusetts's 2nd Congressional District since 1997. He serves as the Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee and is known for his work on hunger and food security issues, as well as international human rights advocacy. McGovern is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and has been ranked among Congress's most liberal members.

Career

McGovern was a key architect of the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program and has led efforts to expand child nutrition programs. He was instrumental in devising procedures for the first impeachment of Donald Trump as Rules Committee chair. He has been arrested three times while protesting human rights abuses, including demonstrations at the Sudanese Embassy. McGovern championed an amendment to the Higher Education Act of 1998 that doubled Pell Grant funding for high-performing students. He has consistently opposed military interventions, voting against the Iraq War authorization in 2002 and the Secure Fence Act of 2006.

Prior political experience

McGovern first ran for Congress in 1994 but lost the Democratic primary. He won his first election in 1996 with 53% of the vote, defeating Republican incumbent Peter Blute with a campaign focused on unseating House Speaker Newt Gingrich. He has been reelected 13 times and has rarely faced close contests. He ran unopposed in 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014, and 2016. In 2004, he defeated Republican Ronald Crews with 71% of the vote. In 2010, he won with 57% of the vote against Republican Marty Lamb and independent Patrick Barron.

Biographical material adapted from the Wikipedia article (retrieved April 29, 2026), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Ideology

Liberal–Conservative (DW-NOMINATE dim 1)

Liberal
Conservative
119th Congress-0.538

Secondary axis (DW-NOMINATE dim 2)(?)

−1
+1
-0.344
Source: Voteview DW-NOMINATE · 335 scored votes

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Officeholding history

TermSeatTerm datesTerminationPredecessorSuccessor
7thU.S. House MA-22025–presentIn progressJim McGovern—
6thU.S. House MA-22023–2025Term endedJim McGovernJim McGovern
5thU.S. House MA-22021–2023Term endedJim McGovernJim McGovern
4thU.S. House MA-22019–2021Term endedJim McGovernJim McGovern
3rdU.S. House MA-22017–2019Term endedJim McGovernJim McGovern
2ndU.S. House MA-22015–2017Term endedJim McGovernJim McGovern
1stU.S. House MA-22013–2015Term endedRichard E. NealJim McGovern
8thU.S. House MA-32011–2013Term endedJim McGovernLori Trahan
7thU.S. House MA-32009–2011Term endedJim McGovernJim McGovern
6thU.S. House MA-32007–2009Term endedJim McGovernJim McGovern
5thU.S. House MA-32005–2007Term endedJim McGovernJim McGovern
4thU.S. House MA-32003–2005Term endedJim McGovernJim McGovern
3rdU.S. House MA-32001–2003Term endedJim McGovernJim McGovern
2ndU.S. House MA-31999–2001Term endedJim McGovernJim McGovern
1stU.S. House MA-31997–1999Term ended—Jim McGovern

Committee assignments

Current term legislation

Bills sponsored this term10

Bills cosponsored this term10

Elections

YearSeatResultVote shareField
2024U.S. House MA-2Pending64.58%