Montana's second congressional district is a congressional district in the United States House of Representatives that was apportioned after the 2020 United States census. The first candidates ran in the 2022 elections for a seat in the 118th United States Congress.
Geographically, the district is the second-largest by land area, after Alaska's at-large congressional district, and the largest by land area in the contiguous United States. It is also the largest district in the U.S. to not contain an entire state.
From 1913 to 1993, Montana had two congressional seats. From 1913 to 1919, those seats were elected statewide at-large on a general ticket. After 1919, however, the state was divided into geographical districts. The 2nd covered the eastern part of the state, including Billings, Glendive, Miles City, and other towns. After 1993, the second seat was eliminated and the remaining seat was elected .
After the release of the 2020 United States census results, Montana regained its 2nd congressional district. On November 12, 2021, Montana's Districting and Apportionment Commission approved a new congressional map in which the 2nd congressional district would cover the eastern portion of Montana, in a configuration similar to the 1983–1993 map. However, the state capital, Helena, which had historically been in the 1st district, was drawn into the 2nd district.
Except for the city of Helena and some Native American areas like Big Horn County and part of longtime national bellwether Blaine County, the district is powerfully Republican. Overall, it is one of the most Republican districts in the West, with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+15, and it voted for Donald Trump by nearly 27 percentage points in the 2020 presidential election.
Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Resultshttps://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qiYOm5KhJIzivHJcT1D1VZqxNJqn8ZiV22_kuCaa4mg/edit?gid=0#gid=0 2008 PresidentMcCain 52% - 45%2012 SenateTester 46.8% - 46.6%2016 PresidentTrump 61% - 32% GovernorGianforte 49% - 47% Secretary of StateStapleton 58% - 38% Attorney GeneralFox 73% - 27% AuditorRosendale 58% - 42%2018 SenateTester 50% - 46%2020 PresidentTrump 62% - 35% SenateDaines 60% - 40% GovernorGianforte 59% - 37% Secretary of StateJacobsen 65% - 35% Attorney GeneralKnudsen 63% - 37% AuditorDowning 61% - 34%2024 PresidentTrump 63% - 34% SenateSheehy 57% - 41% GovernorGianforte 64% - 33% Secretary of StateJacobsen 66% - 31% Attorney GeneralKnudsen 64% - 36% AuditorBrown 66% - 34%
Composition The second district includes all of the following counties, with the exception of Pondera, which it shares with the 1st. Pondera County communities in the 1st district include Brady, Conrad, and Midway Colony. #CountySeatPopulation3Big HornHardin12,7515BlaineChinook6,8997BroadwaterTownsend8,0329CarbonRed Lodge11,41911CarterEkalaka1,41813CascadeGreat Falls84,90015ChouteauFort Benton5,84717CusterMiles City11,98519DanielsScobey1,63321DawsonGlendive8,81025FallonBaker2,99427FergusLewistown11,77233GarfieldJordan1,21137Golden ValleyRyegate83541HillHavre16,27643JeffersonBoulder13,04845Judith BasinStanford2,09349Lewis and ClarkHelena75,01151LibertyChester1,97455McConeCircle1,67659MeagherWhite Sulphur Springs2,07165MusselshellRoundup5,30867ParkLivingston17,90369PetroleumWinnett55471PhillipsMalta4,24973PonderaConrad6,12575Powder RiverBroadus1,74379PrairieTerry1,11283RichlandSidney11,17385RooseveltWolf Point10,31987RosebudForsyth8,16091SheridanPlentywood3,49895StillwaterColumbus9,17397Sweet GrassBig Timber3,76399TetonChoteau6,430101TooleShelby6,133103TreasureHysham772105ValleyGlasgow7,474107WheatlandHarlowton2,057109WibauxWibaux910111YellowstoneBillings170,843
List of members representing the district Member Party Years Congress Electoral history District established March 4, 1919 Carl W. Riddick Republican March 4, 1919 –March 3, 1923 Elected in 1918.Re-elected in 1920.Retired to run for U.S. senator. Scott Leavitt Republican March 4, 1923 –March 3, 1933 Elected in 1922.Re-elected in 1924.Re-elected in 1926.Re-elected in 1928.Re-elected in 1930.Lost re-election. Roy E. Ayers Democratic March 4, 1933 –January 3, 1937 Elected in 1932.Re-elected in 1934.Retired to run for Governor of Montana. James F. O'Connor Democratic January 3, 1937 –January 15, 1945 Elected in 1936.Re-elected in 1938.Re-elected in 1940.Re-elected in 1942.Re-elected in 1944.Died. Vacant January 15, 1945 –June 5, 1945 Wesley A. D'Ewart Republican June 5, 1945 –January 3, 1955 Elected to finish O'Connor's term.Re-elected in 1946.Re-elected in 1948.Re-elected in 1950.Re-elected in 1952.Retired to run for U.S. senator. Orvin B. Fjare Republican January 3, 1955 –January 3, 1957 Elected in 1954.Lost re-election. LeRoy H. Anderson Democratic January 3, 1957 –January 3, 1961 Elected in 1956.Re-elected in 1958.Retired to run for U.S. senator. James F. Battin Republican January 3, 1961 –February 27, 1969 Elected in 1960.Re-elected in 1962.Re-elected in 1964.Re-elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968.Resigned to become judge of the U.S. District Court of Montana. Vacant February 27, 1969 –June 24, 1969 John Melcher Democratic June 24, 1969 –January 3, 1977 Elected to finish Battin's term.Re-elected in 1970.Re-elected in 1972.Re-elected in 1974.Retired to run for U.S. senator. Ron Marlenee Republican January 3, 1977 –January 3, 1993 Elected in 1976.Re-elected in 1978.Re-elected in 1980.Re-elected in 1982.Re-elected in 1984.Re-elected in 1986.Re-elected in 1988.Re-elected in 1990.Redistricted to the and lost re-election. District eliminated January 3, 1993 District re-established January 3, 2023 Matt Rosendale Republican January 3, 2023 –January 3, 2025 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 2022.Retired. Troy Downing Republican January 3, 2025 –present Elected in 2024.
Recent election results 2022
2024
See also Montana's congressional districts List of United States congressional districts
References General
Specific
Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present