Montana's at-large congressional district explained

State:Montana
District Number:AL
Obsolete:yes
Created:1889
1990
Eliminated:1918
2020
Years:1889–1919
1993–2023

From 1993 to 2023, Montana was represented in the United States House of Representatives by one at-large congressional district, among the 435 in the United States Congress. The district was the most populous U.S. congressional district, with just over 1 million constituents.[1] It was also the second-largest by land area, after Alaska's at-large congressional district, and the largest by land area in the contiguous United States.

The district was last represented by Republican Matt Rosendale. It had previously been represented by Republican Greg Gianforte, who did not seek re-election in 2020. Instead, he opted to run for Governor of Montana.

Starting in the 2022 midterm elections, per the 2020 United States census, Montana regained the congressional seat that it lost after the 1990 census. Thus, the current at-large statewide district was dissolved, and the new districts were the 1st district in the west and the 2nd district in the east, [2] restoring a configuration that had existed from 1919 to 1993. Rosendale sought re-election in the 2nd district and was elected.

Politics

President George W. Bush won Montana in the 2004 presidential election with 59.1% of the vote, beating John Kerry by 20 percentage points, which indicates that the district leans Republican. However, four years later John McCain won the state by only 2.5% over Barack Obama, and there is a significant Democratic presence in the state: as of 2021 one U.S. Senate seat is held by a Democrat, which suggested at the time that the district could be competitive in future elections. In 2016, Donald Trump won by over 20%, while Ryan Zinke won Montana's single congressional seat by over 16%. Incumbent Democratic Governor Steve Bullock, however, was also reelected by 4%. The seat was left vacant when Zinke was appointed Secretary of the Interior. In a special election held on May 25, 2017, Republican Greg Gianforte won with a margin of 6% and would be reelected by a margin of 5% in 2018.[3]

Early at-large district

From statehood in 1889, until the creation of geographic districts in 1919, Montana was represented in the United States House of Representatives by members elected at-large, that is, requiring voting by all the state population. From 1913 to 1919, there were two seats, still elected at-large; the top two finishers were awarded the seats. After that time, two representatives were elected from two geographic districts of roughly equal population, from the east and the west of the state.

In the reapportionment following the 1990 census, Montana lost one of its two seats. Its remaining member was again elected at-large.

Recent voting history

Election results from recent state wide races are shown below.

!Year!Gubernatorial
2000Martz 51-47%
2004Schweitzer 50-46%
2008Schweitzer 66-33%
2012Bullock 49-47%
2016Bullock 50-46%
2020Gianforte 54-42%
!Year!Senate
2000Burns 51-47%
2002Baucus 63-32%
2006Tester 49-48%
2008Baucus 73-27%
2012Tester 49-45%
2014Daines 58-40%
2018Tester 50-47%
2020Daines 55-45%
YearPresidential
2000Bush 58–33%
2004Bush 59–38%
2008McCain 50–47%
2012Romney 55–41%
2016Trump 56–35%
2020Trump 57–41%

List of members representing the district

See main article: article and List of United States representatives from Montana.

1889–1919: one, then two seats

YearsCong
ress
Seat ASeat B
MemberPartyElectoral historyMemberPartyElectoral history
nowrap March 4, 1889 –
November 8, 1889
Seat created upon statehoodA second seat was added in 1913.
nowrap November 8, 1889 –
March 3, 1891
align=left
Thomas H. Carter
RepublicanElected in 1889.
Lost re-election.
nowrap March 4, 1891 –
March 3, 1893
align=left
William W. Dixon
DemocraticElected in 1890.
Lost re-election.
nowrap March 4, 1893 –
March 3, 1897

Charles S. Hartman
RepublicanElected in 1892.
Re-elected in 1894.
Re-elected in 1896.
Retired.
nowrap March 4, 1897 –
March 3, 1899
Silver
Republican
nowrap March 4, 1899 –
March 3, 1901
align=left
Albert J. Campbell
DemocraticElected in 1898.
Retired.
nowrap March 4, 1901 –
March 3, 1903
align=left
Caldwell Edwards
PopulistElected in 1900.
Retired.
nowrap March 4, 1903 –
March 3, 1907
align=left
Joseph M. Dixon
RepublicanElected in 1902.
Re-elected in 1904.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.
nowrap March 4, 1907 –
March 3, 1913
align=left
Charles N. Pray
RepublicanElected in 1906.
Re-elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Lost re-election.
nowrap March 4, 1913 –
March 3, 1917

John M. Evans
DemocraticElected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Re-elected in 1916.
Redistricted to the .
align=left
Tom Stout
DemocraticElected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Retired.
nowrap March 4, 1917 –
March 3, 1919
align=left
Jeannette Rankin[4]
RepublicanElected in 1916.
Redistricted to the and retired to run for U.S. senator.

The two at-large seats were moved to district representation in 1919, and remained until 1993, when Montana lost a seat due to redistricting from the 1990 U.S. census, re-establishing the single seat at-large district.

1993–2023: one seat

MemberPartyYearsCong
ress
Electoral history
District re-established January 3, 1993
align=left
Pat Williams
Democraticnowrap January 3, 1993 –
January 3, 1997

Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Retired.
align=left
Rick Hill
Republicannowrap January 3, 1997 –
January 3, 2001
Elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Retired.
align=left
Denny Rehberg
Republicannowrap January 3, 2001 –
January 3, 2013

Elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Retired to run for U.S. senator.
align=left
Steve Daines
Republicannowrap January 3, 2013 –
January 3, 2015
Elected in 2012.
Retired to run for the U.S. senator.
align=left
Ryan Zinke
Republicannowrap January 3, 2015 –
March 1, 2017
Elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
align=center nowrap colspan=2 Vacantnowrap March 1, 2017 –
June 21, 2017
align=left
Greg Gianforte
Republicannowrap June 21, 2017 –
January 3, 2021
Elected to finish Zinke's term.
Re-elected in 2018.
Retired to run for Governor of Montana.
align=left
Matt Rosendale
Republicannowrap January 3, 2021 –
January 3, 2023
Elected in 2020.
Redistricted to the .
District eliminated January 3, 2023

Recent election results

The following are official results from the general elections.[5]

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Congressional Apportionment: 2010 Census Briefs . November 2011 . February 2, 2014 . census.gov . .
  2. News: Census Bureau announces 331 million people in US, Texas will add two congressional seats. CNN. Merica. Dan. Stark. Liz. April 26, 2021. April 26, 2021.
  3. Web site: Election Results: Gianforte Wins U.S. House Seat in Montana . New York Times . May 26, 2017.
  4. Book: Official Congressional Directory

    65th Congress

    . 1917 . Washington DC . Government Printing Office . Montana . 2027/mdp.39015022758265?urlappend=%3Bseq=84 . http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015022758265?urlappend=%3Bseq=84 .
  5. Web site: Archived Official Election Results . November 7, 2014 . Montana Secretary of State . State of Montana.