Nebraska's 3rd congressional district

Nebraska's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Nebraska that encompasses its western three-fourths; it is one of the largest non-at-large districts in the country, covering nearly , two time zones and 80 counties. It includes Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, North Platte, Alliance, and Scottsbluff. Additionally, it encompasses the Sandhills region and a large majority of the Platte River. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+27, it is by far the most Republican district in Nebraska, a state with an all-Republican delegation.

Political history Nebraska has had at least three congressional districts since 1883. The district's current configuration dates from 1963, when Nebraska lost a seat as a result of the 1960 United States census. At that time, most of the old 3rd and 4th districts were merged to form the new 3rd district. It is one of the most Republican districts in the nation, as Democrats have only come close to winning it three times as currently drawn, in 1974, 1990, and 2006, all years where the incumbent was not running for reelection.

Republican presidential and gubernatorial candidates routinely carry the district with margins of 40 percent or more, while Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936 was the last Democratic presidential candidate to win a plurality within the current district boundaries. Excepting historically Democratic Saline County on the district's eastern boundary, Thurston County which only moved into the district in 2023, and Dakota County which has only been within the district since 2013, the last Democrat to carry any county within the district at a presidential level was Jimmy Carter in 1976. Although the Nebraska Legislature is elected on a nonpartisan basis, all but two members representing significant portions of the district are known to be Republicans. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index (CPVI) of R+29, it is the most Republican congressional district outside Appalachia. Because Nebraska awards an Electoral College vote from each district, it is the most Republican Electoral College constituency. It is currently held by Republican Adrian Smith, who was first elected in 2006.

Recent election results from statewide races Year Office Results2008 PresidentMcCain 65% - 31%2012 PresidentRomney 72% - 28%2016 PresidentTrump 74% - 21%2018 SenateFischer 71% - 25% GovernorRicketts 73% - 27%2020 PresidentTrump 75% - 23%2022 GovernorPillen 75% - 20%2024 PresidentTrump 76% - 22% Senate (Reg.)Fischer 67% - 33% Senate (Spec.)Ricketts 79% - 21%

Composition Nebraska's 3rd congressional district contains the entirety of the following counties, with the exception of Polk, which it shares with the 1st. Polk County communities within the 3rd district include the village of Polk and Stromsburg.https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd118/cd_based/ST31/CD118_NE03.pdf #CountySeatPopulation1AdamsHastings30,8993AntelopeNeligh6,3025ArthurArthur4127BannerHarrisburg6749BlaineBrewster43111BooneAlbion5,31013Box ButteAlliance10,69215BoydButte1,72517BrownAinsworth2,85319BuffaloKearney50,69721BurtTekamah6,72727CedarHartington8,26229ChaseImperial3,72431CherryValentine5,49233CheyenneSidney9,54135ClayClay Center6,11641CusterBroken Bow10,58143DakotaDakota City21,26845DawesChadron8,13347DawsonLexington24,08549DeuelChappell1,87151DixonPonca5,49157DundyBenkelman1,56159FillmoreGeneva5,54861FranklinFranklin2,82563FrontierStockville2,58565FurnasBeaver City4,55667GageBeatrice21,63469GardenOshkosh1,79471GarfieldBurwell1,76373GosperElwood1,84775GrantHyannis56577GreeleyGreeley Center2,21979HallGrand Island62,19781HamiltonAurora9,53783HarlanAlma3,04585HayesHayes Center84687HitchcockTrenton2,55289HoltO'Neill10,09391HookerMullen67993HowardSt. Paul6,52795JeffersonFairbury7,05497JohnsonTecumseh5,19899KearneyMinden6,770101KeithOgallala8,113103Keya PahaSpringview805105KimballKimball3,289107KnoxCenter8,298111LincolnNorth Platte33,365113LoganStapleton655115LoupTaylor592117McPhersonTryon383121MerrickCentral City7,755123MorrillBridgeport4,504125NanceFullerton3,274127NemahaAuburn7,076129NuckollsNelson4,095131OtoeNebraska City16,335133PawneePawnee City2,512135PerkinsGrant2,795137PhelpsHoldrege9,057139PiercePierce7,299143Polk (shared with the 1st)Osceola5,228145Red WillowMcCook10,457147RichardsonFalls City7,689149RockBassett1,271151SalineWilber14,555157Scotts BluffGering35,699161SheridanRushville4,928163ShermanLoup City2,983165SiouxHarrison1,154169ThayerHebron4,829171ThomasThedford677173ThurstonPender6,557175ValleyOrd4,012177WashingtonBlair21,152179WayneWayne9,874181WebsterRed Cloud3,351183WheelerBarlett775185YorkYork14,356

Cites and CDPS with 10,000 or more people

Grand Island – 52,622 Kearney – 34,362 Hastings – 24,896 North Platte – 22,523 Scottsbluff – 14,305 South Sioux City – 13,856 Beatrice – 12,262 Lexington – 10,816

2,500 – 10,000 people

Gering – 8,531 York – 8,180 Alliance – 8,056 Blair – 7,967 Crete – 7,488 Nebraska City – 7,414 McCook – 7,253 Sidney – 6,440 Wayne – 6,165 Holdrege – 5,542 Chadron – 5,145 Aurora – 4,704 Ogallala – 4,680 Falls City – 4,045 Cozad – 3,933 Fairbury – 3,832 O'Neill – 3,575 Broken Bow – 3,542 Auburn – 3,507 Gothenburg – 3,430 Minden – 3,136 Central City – 3,090 Valentine – 2,631

List of members representing the district Member Party Years Congress Electoral history District established March 4, 1883 Edward K. Valentine Republican March 4, 1883 –March 3, 1885 Redistricted from and re-elected in 1882.Retired.George W. E. Dorsey Republican March 4, 1885 –March 3, 1891 Elected in 1884.Re-elected in 1886.Re-elected in 1888.Lost re-election.Omer M. Kem Populist March 4, 1891 –March 3, 1893 Elected in 1890.Redistricted to the . George de Rue Meiklejohn Republican March 4, 1893 –March 3, 1897 Elected in 1892.Re-elected in 1894.Retired.Samuel Maxwell Populist March 4, 1897 –March 3, 1899 Elected in 1896.Retired.John Seaton Robinson Democratic March 4, 1899 –March 3, 1903 Elected in 1898.Re-elected in 1900.Lost re-election.John J. McCarthy Republican March 4, 1903 –March 3, 1907 Elected in 1902.Re-elected in 1904.Lost renomination.John Frank Boyd Republican March 4, 1907 –March 3, 1909 Elected in 1906.Lost re-election. James P. Latta Democratic March 4, 1909 –September 11, 1911 Elected in 1908.Re-elected in 1910.Died. Vacant September 11, 1911 –November 7, 1911 Dan V. Stephens Democratic November 7, 1911 –March 3, 1919 Elected to finish Latta's term.Re-elected in 1912.Re-elected in 1914.Re-elected in 1916.Lost re-election. Robert E. Evans Republican March 4, 1919 –March 3, 1923 Elected in 1918.Re-elected in 1920.Lost re-election. Edgar Howard Democratic March 4, 1923 –January 3, 1935 Elected in 1922.Re-elected in 1924.Re-elected in 1926.Re-elected in 1928.Re-elected in 1930.Re-elected in 1932.Lost re-election.Karl Stefan Republican January 3, 1935 –October 2, 1951 Elected in 1934.Re-elected in 1936.Re-elected in 1938.Re-elected in 1940.Re-elected in 1942.Re-elected in 1944.Re-elected in 1946.Re-elected in 1948.Re-elected in 1950.Died. Vacant October 2, 1951 –December 4, 1951 R. D. Harrison Republican December 4, 1951 –January 3, 1959 Elected to finish Stefan's term.Re-elected in 1952.Re-elected in 1954.Re-elected in 1956.Lost re-election.Lawrence Brock Democratic January 3, 1959 –January 3, 1961 Elected in 1958.Lost re-election. Ralph F. Beermann Republican January 3, 1961 –January 3, 1963 Elected in 1960.Redistricted to the . David Martin Republican January 3, 1963 –December 31, 1974 Redistricted from the and re-elected in 1962.Re-elected in 1964.Re-elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968.Re-elected in 1970.Re-elected in 1972.Retired and then resigned early. Vacant December 31, 1974 –January 3, 1975 Virginia Smith Republican January 3, 1975 –January 3, 1991 Elected in 1974.Re-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.Retired. Bill Barrett Republican January 3, 1991 –January 3, 2001 Elected in 1990.Re-elected in 1992.Re-elected in 1994.Re-elected in 1996.Re-elected in 1998.Retired. Tom Osborne Republican January 3, 2001 –January 3, 2007 Elected in 2000.Re-elected in 2002.Re-elected in 2004.Retired to run for Governor of Nebraska. Adrian Smith Republican January 3, 2007 –present Elected in 2006.Re-elected in 2008.Re-elected in 2010.Re-elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014.Re-elected in 2016.Re-elected in 2018.Re-elected in 2020.Re-elected in 2022.Re-elected in 2024.

Election history

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

2022

2024

Historical district boundaries

See also

Nebraska's congressional districts List of United States congressional districts

References

Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present