Montana's 1st congressional district came into existence in January 2023 and comprises the western portion of the state. Points indicate major cities in the district, sorted by population: 1. Missoula 2. Bozeman 3. Butte 4. Kalispell
This seat's current representative is Republican Ryan Zinke.
History
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, with the 1st district covering the western part of the state, including Missoula, Great Falls, Butte, and Helena. After 1993, the 2nd district was eliminated and the remaining seat was elected at-large.
Following the release of the 2020 United States census results, Montana was once again split into two congressional districts.[3] The reconstituted 1st district covers the western third of the state, in a configuration similar to the 1983–1993 map. However, Helena was drawn into the reconstituted 2nd district.
The reconstituted 1st leans Republican, though not as overwhelmingly as the 2nd. Missoula and Butte are longstanding Democratic bastions, while Bozeman is more of a swing area. The rural areas, especially the Flathead, are heavily Republican.