South Dakota's At-large congressional district | |
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Current Representative | Kristi Noem (R–Castlewood) |
Area | 75,885 sq mi (196,540 km2) |
Distribution |
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Population (2010) | 814,180 |
Median income | 47,223 |
Ethnicity |
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Cook PVI | R+9 |
South Dakota's At-Large Congressional District is the sole congressional district for the state of South Dakota. Based on size, it is the fourth largest congressional district in the nation.
The district is currently represented by Republican Kristi Noem.
The district was created when South Dakota achieved statehood on November 2, 1889, electing two members At-Large (statewide). Following the 1910 Census a third seat was gained, with the legislature drawing three separate districts. The third district was eliminated after the 1930 Census.
Following the 1980 Census the second seat was eliminated, creating a single At-Large district. Since 1983, South Dakota has retained a single congressional district.
Performance Average - Democrat (38.47%), Republican (58.56%), Third Party (2.97%)
Hillary Clinton of New York won the June 3, 2008 South Dakota Democratic Primary with 55.35% of the statewide/at-large congressional district vote while Barack Obama of Illinois received 44.65%. The state/at-large congressional district gave Clinton her final win during the course of the historic and heavily drawn-out 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary season.
John McCain of Arizona easily won the June 3, 2008 South Dakota GOP Primary with 70.19% of the statewide/at-large congressional district vote while libertarian-leaning Ron Paul of Texas finished in second place in the state/congressional district with 16.52%.
Incumbent U.S. Representative Bill Janklow resigned the seat January 20, 2004, after he was convicted of second-degree manslaughter, triggering a special election. Democrat Stephanie Herseth was selected as the Democratic nominee for this special election and she defeated Republican Larry Diedrich with 51 percent of the vote in a close-fought election on June 1, 2004. Herseth's victory briefly gave the state its first all-Democratic congressional delegation since 1937.