Montana’s at-large congressional district – Wikipedia

At-large U.S. House district for Montana

The district from 1993 to 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 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] Rosendale sought re-election in the 2nd district and was elected.

Politics[edit]

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][further explanation needed]}

Early at-large district[edit]

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[edit]

Election results from recent state wide races are shown below.

List of members representing the district[edit]

1889–1919: One, then two seats[edit]

Years	Cong ress		Seat A				Seat B
			Member	Party	Electoral history		Member	Party	Electoral history
March 4, 1889 – November 8, 1889	51st		Seat created upon statehood				A second seat was added in 1913.
November 8, 1889 – March 3, 1891			Thomas H. Carter	Republican	Elected in 1889. Lost re-election.
March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893	52nd		William W. Dixon	Democratic	Elected in 1890. Lost re-election.
March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1897	53rd 54th 55th		Charles S. Hartman	Republican	Elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Retired.
March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899				Silver Republican
March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1901	56th		Albert J. Campbell	Democratic	Elected in 1898. Retired.
March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1903	57th		Caldwell Edwards	Populist	Elected in 1900. Retired.
March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1907	58th 59th		Joseph M. Dixon	Republican	Elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Retired to run for U.S. senator.
March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1913	60th 61st 62nd		Charles N. Pray	Republican	Elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Lost re-election.
March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1917	63rd 64th		John M. Evans	Democratic	Elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Redistricted to the 1st district.		Tom Stout	Democratic	Elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Retired.
March 4, 1917 – March 3, 1919	65th						Jeannette Rankin[4]	Republican	Elected in 1916. Redistricted to the 1st district 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 US Census, re-establishing the single seat at-large district.

1993–2023: One seat[edit]

Member	Party	Years	Cong ress	Electoral history
District re-established January 3, 1993
Pat Williams	Democratic	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1997	103rd 104th	Redistricted from the 1st district and re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Retired.
Rick Hill	Republican	January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2001	105th 106th	Elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Retired.
Denny Rehberg	Republican	January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2013	107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th	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.
Steve Daines	Republican	January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015	113th	Elected in 2012. Retired to run for the U.S. senator.
Ryan Zinke	Republican	January 3, 2015 – March 1, 2017	114th 115th	Elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
Vacant		March 1, 2017 – June 21, 2017	115th
Greg Gianforte	Republican	June 21, 2017 – January 3, 2021	115th 116th	Elected to finish Zinke’s term. Re-elected in 2018. Retired to run for Governor of Montana.
Matt Rosendale	Republican	January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023	117th	Elected in 2020. Redistricted to the 2nd district.
District eliminated January 3, 2023

Recent election results[edit]

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

References[edit]