Since Montana became a U.S. state in 1889, it has sent congressional delegations to the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Each state elects two senators to serve for six years. Before the Seventeenth Amendment took effect in 1913, senators were elected by the Montana State Legislature. Members of the House of Representatives are elected to two-year terms, one from Montana's at-large congressional district. Before becoming a state, the Territory of Montana elected a non-voting delegate at-large to Congress from 1864 to 1889.
A total of 54 people have served either the Territory or State of Montana: 17 in the Senate, 32 in the House, and five in both houses. The longest-serving senator is Max Baucus, in office from 1978 to 2014. The longest-serving representative is Pat Williams, in office for 18 years from 1979 to 1997. One woman has been a member of Montana's congressional delegation, Jeannette Rankin, as a representative. She was the first woman in the United States Congress.
The current dean of the Montana delegation is Senator Jon Tester, having served in the Senate since 2007.
United States Senate
| Current U.S. senators from Montana | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Montana
|
Class I senator | Class II senator | ||
.jpg.webp) Jon Tester (Senior senator) |
.jpg.webp) Steve Daines (Junior senator) | |||
| Party | Democratic | Republican | ||
| Incumbent since | January 3, 2007 | January 3, 2015 | ||
Each state elects two senators by statewide popular vote every six years. The terms of the two senators are staggered so that they are not elected in the same year. Montana's senators are elected in the years from classes I and II. Senators were originally chosen by the Montana Legislature until the Seventeenth Amendment came into force in 1913.[2][3]
There have been twenty-two senators elected from Montana, of whom fourteen have been Democrats and eight have been Republicans. Montana's current senators are Democrat Jon Tester, in office since 2007, and Republican Steve Daines, in office since 2015.
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| Class I senators | Congress | Class II senators | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilbur F. Sanders (R) | 51st (1889–1891) | Thomas C. Power (R) | ||
| 52nd (1891–1893) | ||||
| vacant[fn 1] | 53rd (1893–1895) | |||
| Lee Mantle (R)[fn 2] | ||||
| 54th (1895–1897) | Thomas H. Carter (R) | |||
| Lee Mantle (SvR) | 55th (1897–1899) | |||
| William A. Clark (D)[fn 3] | 56th (1899–1901) | |||
| Paris Gibson (D)[fn 4] | 57th (1901–1903) | William A. Clark (D) | ||
| 58th (1903–1905) | ||||
| Thomas H. Carter (R) | 59th (1905–1907) | |||
| 60th (1907–1909) | Joseph M. Dixon (R) | |||
| 61st (1909–1911) | ||||
| Henry L. Myers (D) | 62nd (1911–1913) | |||
| 63rd (1913–1915) | Thomas J. Walsh (D)[fn 5] | |||
| 64th (1915–1917) | ||||
| 65th (1917–1919) | ||||
| 66th (1919–1921) | ||||
| 67th (1921–1923) | ||||
| Burton K. Wheeler (D) | 68th (1923–1925) | |||
| 69th (1925–1927) | ||||
| 70th (1927–1929) | ||||
| 71st (1929–1931) | ||||
| 72nd (1931–1933) | ||||
| 73rd (1933–1935) | John E. Erickson (D)[fn 6] | |||
| James E. Murray (D) | ||||
| 74th (1935–1937) | ||||
| 75th (1937–1939) | ||||
| 76th (1939–1941) | ||||
| 77th (1941–1943) | ||||
| 78th (1943–1945) | ||||
| 79th (1945–1947) | ||||
| Zales Ecton (R) | 80th (1947–1949) | |||
| 81st (1949–1951) | ||||
| 82nd (1951–1953) | ||||
| Mike Mansfield (D) | 83rd (1953–1955) | |||
| 84th (1955–1957) | ||||
| 85th (1957–1959) | ||||
| 86th (1959–1961) | ||||
| 87th (1961–1963) | Lee Metcalf (D)[fn 5] | |||
| 88th (1963–1965) | ||||
| 89th (1965–1967) | ||||
| 90th (1967–1969) | ||||
| 91st (1969–1971) | ||||
| 92nd (1971–1973) | ||||
| 93rd (1973–1975) | ||||
| 94th (1975–1977) | ||||
| John Melcher (D) | 95th (1977–1979) | |||
| Paul G. Hatfield (D)[fn 6] | ||||
| Max Baucus (D)[fn 7] | ||||
| 96th (1979–1981) | ||||
| 97th (1981–1983) | ||||
| 98th (1983–1985) | ||||
| 99th (1985–1987) | ||||
| 100th (1987–1989) | ||||
| Conrad Burns (R) | 101st (1989–1991) | |||
| 102nd (1991–1993) | ||||
| 103rd (1993–1995) | ||||
| 104th (1995–1997) | ||||
| 105th (1997–1999) | ||||
| 106th (1999–2001) | ||||
| 107th (2001–2003) | ||||
| 108th (2003–2005) | ||||
| 109th (2005–2007) | ||||
| Jon Tester (D) | 110th (2007–2009) | |||
| 111th (2009–2011) | ||||
| 112th (2011–2013) | ||||
| 113th (2013–2015) | ||||
| John Walsh (D)[fn 6] | ||||
| 114th (2015–2017) | Steve Daines (R) | |||
| 115th (2017–2019) | ||||
| 116th (2019–2021) | ||||
| 117th (2021–2023) | ||||
| 118th (2023–2025) |
U.S. House of Representatives
Current representatives
| Current U.S. representatives from Montana | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Member (Residence)[4] |
Party | Incumbent since | CPVI (2022)[5] |
District map |
| 1st |  Ryan Zinke (Whitefish) |
Republican | January 3, 2023 | R+6 | .svg.png.webp) |
| 2nd |  Matt Rosendale (Glendive) |
Republican | January 3, 2021 | R+16 | .svg.png.webp) |
Delegates from Montana Territory
The Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States formed on May 26, 1864. The territory initially consisted of present-day Montana. The boundaries of the territory did not change during its existence.
The territorial delegates were elected to two-year terms. Delegates were allowed to serve on committees, debate, and submit legislation, but were not permitted to vote on bills.[6] Delegates only served in the House of Representatives as there was no representation in the Senate until Montana became a state.
| Congress | Delegate |
|---|---|
| 38th (1863–1865) | Samuel McLean (D) |
| 39th (1865–1867) | |
| 40th (1867–1869) | James M. Cavanaugh (D) |
| 41st (1869–1871) | |
| 42nd (1871–1873) | William H. Clagett |
| 43rd (1873–1875) | Martin Maginnis (D) |
| 44th (1875–1877) | |
| 45th (1877–1879) | |
| 46th (1879–1881) | |
| 47th (1881–1883) | |
| 48th (1883–1885) | |
| 49th (1885–1887) | Joseph Toole (D) |
| 50th (1887–1889) | |
| 51st (1889–1891) | Thomas H. Carter (R) |
Members of the United States House of Representatives
Members of the House of Representatives are elected every two years by popular vote within a congressional district.[7] Montana currently has two congressional districts. Every ten years, the number of congressional districts is reapportioned based on the state's population as determined by the United States census;[8] Montana had had two districts from 1913 to 1993 and one at-large district from 1993 to 2023.
There have been 34 people, including just one woman, who have served as representatives from Montana: 15 Democrats, 20 Republicans and 1 Populist. Ryan Zinke and Matt Rosendale are the current officeholders.
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| Congress | At-large seats | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st seat | 2nd seat | |
| 51st (1889–1891) | Thomas H. Carter (R) | |
| 52nd (1891–1893) | William W. Dixon (D) | |
| 53rd (1893–1895) | Charles S. Hartman (R) | |
| 54th (1895–1897) | ||
| 55th (1897–1899) | ||
| 56th (1899–1901) | Albert J. Campbell (D) | |
| 57th (1901–1903) | Caldwell Edwards (Pop) | |
| 58th (1903–1905) | Joseph M. Dixon (R) | |
| 59th (1905–1907) | ||
| 60th (1907–1909) | Charles Nelson Pray (R) | |
| 61st (1909–1911) | ||
| 62nd (1911–1913) | ||
| 63rd (1913–1915) | John M. Evans (D) | Tom Stout (D) |
| 64th (1915–1917) | ||
| 65th (1917–1919) | Jeannette Rankin (R) | |
| Congress | District | |
| 1st | 2nd | |
| 66th (1919–1921) | John M. Evans (D) | Carl W. Riddick (R) |
| 67th (1921–1923) | Washington J. McCormick (R) | |
| 68th (1923–1925) | John M. Evans (D) | Scott Leavitt (R) |
| 69th (1925–1927) | ||
| 70th (1927–1929) | ||
| 71st (1929–1931) | ||
| 72nd (1931–1933) | ||
| 73rd (1933–1935) | Joseph P. Monaghan (D) | Roy E. Ayers (D) |
| 74th (1935–1937) | ||
| 75th (1937–1939) | Jerry J. O'Connell (D) | James F. O'Connor (D) |
| 76th (1939–1941) | Jacob Thorkelson (R) | |
| 77th (1941–1943) | Jeannette Rankin (R) | |
| 78th (1943–1945) | Mike Mansfield (D) | |
| 79th (1945–1947) | ||
| Wesley A. D'Ewart (R) | ||
| 80th (1947–1949) | ||
| 81st (1949–1951) | ||
| 82nd (1951–1953) | ||
| 83rd (1953–1955) | Lee Metcalf (D) | |
| 84th (1955–1957) | Orvin B. Fjare (R) | |
| 85th (1957–1959) | LeRoy H. Anderson (D) | |
| 86th (1959–1961) | ||
| 87th (1961–1963) | Arnold Olsen (D) | James F. Battin (R) |
| 88th (1963–1965) | ||
| 89th (1965–1967) | ||
| 90th (1967–1969) | ||
| 91st (1969–1971) | ||
| John Melcher (D) | ||
| 92nd (1971–1973) | Richard G. Shoup (R) | |
| 93rd (1973–1975) | ||
| 94th (1975–1977) | Max Baucus (D) | |
| 95th (1977–1979) | Ron Marlenee (R) | |
| 96th (1979–1981) | Pat Williams (D) | |
| 97th (1981–1983) | ||
| 98th (1983–1985) | ||
| 99th (1985–1987) | ||
| 100th (1987–1989) | ||
| 101st (1989–1991) | ||
| 102nd (1991–1993) | ||
| Congress | At-large seat | |
| 103rd (1993–1995) | Pat Williams (D) | |
| 104th (1995–1997) | ||
| 105th (1997–1999) | Rick Hill (R) | |
| 106th (1999–2001) | ||
| 107th (2001–2003) | Denny Rehberg (R) | |
| 108th (2003–2005) | ||
| 109th (2005–2007) | ||
| 110th (2007–2009) | ||
| 111th (2009–2011) | ||
| 112th (2011–2013) | ||
| 113th (2013–2015) | Steve Daines (R) | |
| 114th (2015–2017) | Ryan Zinke (R) | |
| 115th (2017–2019) | ||
| Greg Gianforte (R) | ||
| 116th (2019–2021) | ||
| 117th (2021–2023) | Matt Rosendale (R) | |
| Congress | District | |
| 1st | 2nd | |
| 118th (2023–2025) | Ryan Zinke (R) | Matt Rosendale (R) |
Key
| Democratic (D) |
| Populist (Pop) |
| Republican (R) |
| Silver Republican (SvR) |
See also
References
- ↑ Seat was vacant due to failure of legislature to elect a senator by the beginning of the Congress.
- ↑ Lee Mantle was appointed to fill the vacancy, but was not seated; he was later elected to the term.
- ↑ The Senate refused to seat Clark after it was revealed that he had gained the seat through bribery.
- ↑ Elected to fill the vacancy caused by the previous representative being elected to the next term, but vacating the seat before the term began.
- 1 2 Died in office.
- 1 2 3 Was appointed to the office, and was later replaced by an elected successor.
- ↑ Resigned.
- ↑ "2022 Cook PVI: State Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
- ↑ U.S. Const. Art. I, § 3.
- ↑ U.S. Const. Amendment XVII.
- ↑ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives". clerk.house.gov. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
- ↑ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
- ↑ "Delegates to the U.S. Congress: History and Current Status" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
- ↑ U.S. Const. Art. I, § 2.
- ↑ "Decennial Census". American FactFinder. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
