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U.S. House district for Nebraska
Nebraska's 3rd congressional district Nebraska's 3rd congressional district (from 2023)
Representative Distribution Population (2022) 649,904 Median household income $61,627[ 1] Ethnicity Cook PVI R+29[ 2]
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 65,000 square miles (170,000 km2 ), two time zones and 68 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+29, it is the most Republican district in Nebraska, a state with an all-Republican delegation.[ 2]
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 results in statewide races [ edit ]
List of members representing the district [ edit ]
Member
Party
Years
Cong ress
Electoral history
District established March 4, 1883
Edward K. Valentine (West Point )
Republican
March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885
48th
Redistricted from at-large district and re-elected in 1882 . Retired.
George W. E. Dorsey (Fremont )
Republican
March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891
49th 50th 51st
Elected in 1884 .Re-elected in 1886 .Re-elected in 1888 . Lost re-election.
Omer Madison Kem (Broken Bow )
Populist
March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893
52nd
Elected in 1890 . Redistricted to the 6th district .
George de Rue Meiklejohn (Fullerton )
Republican
March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1897
53rd 54th
Elected in 1892 .Re-elected in 1894 . Retired.
Samuel Maxwell (Fremont )
Populist
March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899
55th
Elected in 1896 . Retired.
John Seaton Robinson (Madison )
Democratic
March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1903
56th 57th
Elected in 1898 .Re-elected in 1900 . Lost re-election.
John J. McCarthy (Ponca )
Republican
March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1907
58th 59th
Elected in 1902 .Re-elected in 1904 . Lost renomination.
John Frank Boyd (Neligh )
Republican
March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1909
60th
Elected in 1906 . Lost re-election.
James P. Latta (Tekamah )
Democratic
March 4, 1909 – September 11, 1911
61st 62nd
Elected in 1908 .Re-elected in 1910 . Died.
Vacant
September 11, 1911 – November 7, 1911
62nd
Dan V. Stephens (Fremont )
Democratic
November 7, 1911 – March 3, 1919
62nd 63rd 64th 65th
Elected to finish Latta's term .Re-elected in 1912 .Re-elected in 1914 .Re-elected in 1916 . Lost re-election.
Robert E. Evans (Dakota City )
Republican
March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1923
66th 67th
Elected in 1918 .Re-elected in 1920 . Lost re-election.
Edgar Howard (Columbus )
Democratic
March 4, 1923 – January 3, 1935
68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd 73rd
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 (Norfolk )
Republican
January 3, 1935 – October 2, 1951
74th 75th 76th 77th 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd
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
82nd
Robert Dinsmore Harrison (Norfolk )
Republican
December 4, 1951 – January 3, 1959
82nd 83rd 84th 85th
Elected to finish Stefan's term .Re-elected in 1952 .Re-elected in 1954 .Re-elected in 1956 . Lost re-election.
Lawrence Brock (Wakefield )
Democratic
January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1961
86th
Elected in 1958 . Lost re-election.
Ralph F. Beermann (Dakota City )
Republican
January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1963
87th
Elected in 1960 . Redistricted to the 1st district .
David Martin (Kearney )
Republican
January 3, 1963 – December 31, 1974
88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd
Redistricted from the 4th district 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
93rd
Virginia Smith (Chappell )
Republican
January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1991
94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st
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 (Lexington )
Republican
January 3, 1991 – January 3, 2001
102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th
Elected in 1990 .Re-elected in 1992 .Re-elected in 1994 .Re-elected in 1996 .Re-elected in 1998 . Retired.
Tom Osborne (Lemoyne )
Republican
January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2007
107th 108th 109th
Elected in 2000 .Re-elected in 2002 .Re-elected in 2004 . Retired to run for Governor of Nebraska .
Adrian Smith (Gering )
Republican
January 3, 2007 – present
110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th
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 .
Historical district boundaries [ edit ]
2013–2023
2003–2013
42°N 100°W / 42°N 100°W / 42; -100