# North Dakota's 2nd congressional district

North Dakota's 2nd congressional district is an obsolete congressional district in the state of North Dakota that was created by reapportionments in 1913, and eliminated by the reapportionments in 1933. North Dakota elected its two Representatives in a two-member at large district from 1932 to 1960, but then resurrected single-member districts in 1962. The district was eliminated by the reapportionment as a result of the 1970 redistricting cycle after the 1970 United States census. The seat was last filled from 1971 to 1973 by Arthur A. Link, who sought the office of Governor of North Dakota after not being able to run again for the defunct seat.

## Boundaries

When existing between 1913 and 1933, the district included the capital Bismarck and consisted of the following counties of central North Dakota: Bottineau, Rolette, McHenry, Pierce, Benson, Sheridan, Wells, Eddy, Foster, Griggs, Stutsman, Barnes, Kidder, Burleigh, Emmons, Logan, McIntosh, LaMoure, and Dickey.
The 1963 recreation was different, consisting of the western half of the state, again including Bismarck. It contained the following counties: Bottineau, McHenry, Sheridan, Wells, Kidder, Burleigh, Emmons, Logan, McIntosh, Divide, Burke, Renville, Ward, Mountrail, Williams, McKenzie, McLean, Dunn, Mercer, Oliver, Billings, Stark, Morton, Hettinger, Bowman, Adams, Golden Valley, Grant, Slope and Sioux.

## List of members representing the district

| Member | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District established March 4, 1913 |||||
| George M. Young (Valley City) | Republican | March 4, 1913 – September 2, 1924 | 63rd 64th 65th 66th 67th 68th | Elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Resigned to become judge of the U.S. Customs Court. |
| Vacant | Vacant | September 2, 1924 – November 4, 1924 | 68th | |
| Thomas Hall (Bismarck) | Republican | November 4, 1924 – March 3, 1933 | 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd | Elected to finish Young's term. Re-elected in 1926 Re-elected in 1928 Re-elected in 1930 Redistricted to the at-large district and lost renomination. |
| District dissolved January 3, 1933 |||||
| District re-established January 3, 1963 |||||
| Don L. Short (Medora) | Republican | January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1965 | 88th | Redistricted from the at-large district and re-elected in 1962. Lost re-election. |
| Rolland W. Redlin (Crosby) | Democratic–NPL | January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1967 | 89th | Elected in 1964. Lost re-election. |
| Thomas S. Kleppe (Bismarck) | Republican | January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1971 | 90th 91st | Elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| Arthur A. Link (Alexander) | Democratic–NPL | January 3, 1971 – January 3, 1973 | 92nd | Elected in 1970. Retired to run for Governor of North Dakota. |
| District dissolved January 3, 1973 |||||

## Election results

| Year | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| 1912 (63rd Congress) | George M. Young | Republican | 16,912 | 64.3 |
| 1912 (63rd Congress) | J. A. Minckler | Democratic | 7,426 | 28.2 |
| 1912 (63rd Congress) | John A. Yoder | Socialist | 1,922 | 7.3 |
| 1914 (63rd Congress) | George M. Young | Republican | 18,680 | 68.4 |
| 1914 (63rd Congress) | James J. Weeks | Democratic | 7,073 | 25.9 |
| 1914 (63rd Congress) | N. H. Bjornstad | Socialist | 1,553 | 5.7 |
| 1916 (65th Congress) | George M. Young | Republican | 22,227 | 71.7 |
| 1916 (65th Congress) | Hugh McDonald | Democratic | 7,638 | 24.6 |
| 1916 (65th Congress) | Samuel O. Olson | Independent | 1,150 | 3.7 |
| 1918 (66th Congress) | George M. Young | Republican | 20,516 | 74.5 |
| 1918 (66th Congress) | L. N. Torson | Democratic | 7,038 | 25.5 |
| 1920 (67th Congress) | George M. Young | Republican | 34,849 | 51.7 |
| 1920 (67th Congress) | Ole H. Olson | NPL | 32,618 | 48.4 |
| 1922 (68th Congress) | George M. Young | Republican | 36,528 | 69.8 |
| 1922 (68th Congress) | J. W. Deemy | Progressive | 15,834 | 30.2 |
| Special election (68th Congress) | Thomas Hall | Republican | 33,460 | 51.0 |
| Special election (68th Congress) | Gerald P. Nye | NPL | 32,205 | 49.0 |
| 1924 (69th Congress) | Thomas Hall | Republican | 31,212 | 42.2 |
| 1924 (69th Congress) | Gerald P. Nye | NPL | 28,193 | 38.1 |
| 1924 (69th Congress) | M. C. Freercks | Independent | 14,511 | 19.6 |
| 1926 (70th Congress) | Thomas Hall | Republican | 33,607 | 66.3 |
| 1926 (70th Congress) | J. L. Page | Democratic | 13,635 | 27.1 |
| 1926 (70th Congress) | C. W. Reichert | Farmer-Labor | 3,350 | 6.6 |
| 1928 (71st Congress) | Thomas Hall | Republican | 42,844 | 61.7 |
| 1928 (71st Congress) | J. L. Page | Democratic | 26,566 | 38.3 |
| 1930 (72nd Congress) | Thomas Hall | Republican | 34,063 | 55.6 |
| 1930 (72nd Congress) | P. W. Lanier | Democratic | 25,780 | 42.3 |
| 1930 (72nd Congress) | Alfred B. Knutson | Communist | 1,304 | 2.1 |

### Recreated in 1962

| Year | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| 1962 (88th Congress) | Don L. Short | Republican | 56,203 | 54.0 |
| 1962 (88th Congress) | Robert Vogel | D-NPL | 47,825 | 46.0 |
| 1964 (89th Congress) | Rolland Redlin | D-NPL | 60,751 | 52.5 |
| 1964 (89th Congress) | Don L. Short | Republican | 54,878 | 47.5 |
| 1966 (90th Congress) | Thomas S. Kleppe | Republican | 50,801 | 51.9 |
| 1966 (90th Congress) | Rolland Redlin | D-NPL | 46,993 | 48.1 |
| 1968 (91st Congress) | Thomas S. Kleppe | Republican | 55,962 | 49.9 |
| 1968 (91st Congress) | Rolland Redlin | D-NPL | 54,655 | 48.7 |
| 1968 (91st Congress) | Russell Kleppe | Independent | 1,526 | 1.4 |
| 1970 (92nd Congress) | Arthur A. Link | D-NPL | 50,416 | 50.3 |
| 1970 (92nd Congress) | Robert McCarney | Republican | 49,888 | 49.7 |