Montana's At-large congressional district

Montana's 1st congressional district
Current Representative		Denny Rehberg (R–Billings)
Distribution	54.0% urban, 46.0% rural
Population (2000)	902,165
Median income	$33,024
Ethnicity	90.6% White, 0.3% Black, 0.5% Asian, 2.0% Hispanic, 6.2% Native American, 0.6% other
Cook PVI	R+7

Montana is currently represented in the US House of Representatives by one at large congressional district. The district is currently the largest congressional district by population with nearly 1,000,000 constituents. It is also the second largest by size, after Alaska's At-large congressional district. Since 2001, it has been represented by Republican Denny Rehberg.

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 currently a significant Democratic presence in the state: as of 2011 the Governor's office and both U.S. Senate seats are controlled by the Democrats, which suggests that the district could be competitive if Rehberg were to retire from office.

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. From 1913 to 1919, in fact, there were two seats, still elected at-large. In the reapportionment following the 1990 census Montana lost one of its two seats, and its remaining member was again elected at-large.

Presidential Voting History

Election results from presidential races
Year	Office	Results
2008	President	McCain 49 - 47%
2004	President	Bush 59 - 38%

List of representatives

1889–1919: One, then two seats

Congress	Years		Seat A				Seat B
			Representative	Party	Electoral history		Representative	Party	Electoral history
51st	March 4, 1889 – November 8, 1889		Seat created upon statehood				A second seat was added in 1913.
	November 8, 1889 – March 3, 1891		Thomas H. Carter	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
52nd	March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893		William W. Dixon	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
53rd	March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895		Charles S. Hartman	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
54th	March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897
55th	March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899			Silver Republican
56th	March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1901		Albert J. Campbell	Democratic	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
57th	March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1903		Caldwell Edwards	Populist	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
58th	March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1895		Joseph M. Dixon	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
59th	March 4, 1905 – March 3, 1897
60th	March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1909		Charles N. Pray	Republican	[Data unknown/missing. You can help!]
61st	March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1911
62nd	March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1913
63rd	March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915		John M. Evans	Democratic	Elected in 1912		Tom Stout	Democratic	Elected in 1912
64th	March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1917				Re-elected in 1914				Re-elected in 1914 Retired
65th	March 4, 1917 – March 3, 1919				Re-elected in 1916 Redistricted to the 1st district		Jeannette Rankin	Republican	Elected in 1916 Retired to run for U.S. Senate

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–Present: One seat

Congress	Years	Representative	Party	Electoral history
District re-established		January 3, 1993
103rd	January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1995	Pat Williams	Democratic	Redistricted from the 1st district, and re-elected in 1992
104th	January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1997			Re-elected in 1994 Retired
105th	January 3, 1997 – January 3, 1999	Rick Hill	Republican	Elected in 1996
106th	January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2001			Re-elected in 1998 Retired
107th	January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2003	Denny Rehberg	Republican	Elected in 2000
108th	January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2005			Re-elected in 2002
109th	January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2007			Re-elected in 2004
110th	January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009			Re-elected in 2006
111th	January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011			Re-elected in 2008
112th	January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013			Re-elected in 2010

Recent election results

United States House of Representatives elections, 1998: Montana's At-large district
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Rick Hill	175,748	53%
	Democratic	Dusty Deschamps	147,073	44%
Majority			28,675	9%
Turnout			0%
	Republican hold		Swing

United States House of Representatives elections, 2000: Montana's At-large district
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Denny Rehberg	210,990	52%
	Democratic	Nancy Keenan	189,701	47%
Majority			21,289	5%
Turnout			400,691
	Republican hold		Swing

United States House of Representatives elections, 2002: Montana's At-large district
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Denny Rehberg	211,714	64%	+12%
	Democratic	Steve Kelly	107,478	33%	-14%
	Libertarian	Mike Fellows	8,995	3%
Majority			104,236	31%
Turnout			328,187
	Republican hold		Swing

United States House of Representatives elections, 2004: Montana's At-large district
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Denny Rehberg	285,170	64%
	Democratic	Tracy Velazquez	145,299	33%
	Libertarian	Mike Fellows	12,530	3%
Majority			139,871	31%
Turnout			442,999
	Republican hold		Swing

United States House of Representatives elections, 2006: Montana's At-large district
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Denny Rehberg	238,031	59%	-5
	Democratic	Monica Lindeen	157,499	39%	+4
	Libertarian	Mike Fellows	7,747	2%	-1
Majority			80,532	20%	-11
Turnout			403,277
	Republican hold		Swing

United States House of Representatives elections, 2008: Montana's At-large district
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Denny Rehberg	308,470	64.14	+5.14
	Democratic	John Driscoll	155,930	32.42	-6.58
	Libertarian	Mike Fellows	16,500	3.43	+1.43
Majority			152,540	31.72	+11.72
Turnout			480,900
	Republican hold		Swing

United States House of Representatives elections, 2010: Montana's At-large district
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Denny Rehberg	217,696	60.31	-3.87
	Democratic	Dennis McDonald	121,954	33.79	+1.37
	Libertarian	Mike Fellows	20,691	5.73	+2.30
Majority			95,742	26.57	-5.15
Turnout			360,341
	Republican hold		Swing

References

• 2004 Election results for Montana At Large Congressional district
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present