Since 1995, the 4th District has been represented in Congress by a Republican.  In re-election races against Republican incumbents, the Democratic competition was weak.  In 2004 there was no Democratic challenger. 

However, Republicans do not have voters’ unconditional support. Before J.C. Watts won his seat in 1994, a Democratic representative to the U.S. House had been elected every single time since statehood, except for one term in 1920. 

Tom Steed and Dave McCurdy, the 4th District’s two most recent Democratic members of Congress, never struggled in re-election campaigns, and sometimes even ran unopposed.