# South Dakota's at-large congressional district

South Dakota's at-large congressional district is the sole congressional district for the state of South Dakota. Based on area, it is the fourth largest congressional district in the nation.
The district is currently represented by Dusty Johnson.

## History

The district was created when South Dakota achieved statehood on November 2, 1889, electing two members. Following the 1910 United States census a third seat was gained, with the legislature drawing three separate districts. The third district was eliminated after the 1930 census. As a result of the redistricting cycle after the 1980 census, the second seat was eliminated, creating a single at-large district. Since 1983, South Dakota has retained a single congressional district.

### Voter registration

Voter registration and party enrollment as of 2024 :
| Party | Party | Total voters | Percentage |
| | Democratic | 146,090 | 23.37% |
| | Republican | 317,117 | 50.71% |
| | Libertarian | 2,981 | 0.48% |
| | IND/NPA | 158,991 | 25.43% |
| Total | Total | 597,069 | 100% |

## Statewide election results

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2000 | President | Bush 60% - Gore 38% |
| 2004 | President | Bush 60% - Kerry 38% |
| 2008 | President | McCain 53% - Obama 45% |
| 2012 | President | Romney 58% - Obama 40% |
| 2016 | President | Trump 62% - Clinton 32% |
| 2020 | President | Trump 62% - Biden 36% |
| 2024 | President | Trump 63% - Harris 34% |

## Election history
### 2004 special

Incumbent U.S. Representative Bill Janklow resigned the seat on 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.

### 2004 general

In the November general election, Herseth was elected to a full term with 53.4 percent of the vote, an increase of a few percentage points compared with the even closer June special elections. Herseth's vote margin in June was about 3,000 votes, but by November it had grown to over 29,000.
Herseth thereby became the first woman in state history to win a full term in the U.S. Congress.
Both elections were hard-fought and close compared to many House races in the rest of the United States, and the special election was watched closely by a national audience. The general election was also viewed as one of the most competitive in the country, but was overshadowed in the state by the highly competitive U.S. Senate race between Democrat Tom Daschle and Republican John Thune, which Thune narrowly won.

### 2006

South Dakota's at-large congressional district election, 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (Incumbent) | 230,468 | 69.09 | +15.73 |
| | Republican | Bruce Whalen | 97,864 | 29.34 | −16.57 |
| | Libertarian | Larry Rudebusch | 5,230 | 1.57 | +0.85 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 333,562 | | |

### 2008

South Dakota's at-large congressional district election, 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (Incumbent) | 256,041 | 67.56 | −1.53 |
| | Republican | Chris Lien | 122,966 | 32.44 | +3.10 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Swing | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 379,007 | | |

### 2010

South Dakota's at-large congressional district election, 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Kristi Noem | 153,703 | 48.12 | +15.68 |
| | Democratic | Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (Incumbent) | 146,589 | 45.89 | −21.67 |
| | Independent | B. Thomas Marking | 19,134 | 5.99 | +5.99 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 319,426 | | |

### 2012

South Dakota's at-large congressional district election, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Kristi Noem (Incumbent) | 207,640 | 57.45 | +9.33 |
| | Democratic | Matt Varilek | 153,789 | 42.55 | −3.34 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 361,429 | | |

### 2014

South Dakota's at-large congressional district election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Kristi Noem (Incumbent) | 183,834 | 66.50 | +9.05 |
| | Democratic | Corinna Robinson | 92,485 | 33.50 | −9.05 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 276,319 | | |

### 2016

South Dakota's at-large congressional district election, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Kristi Noem (Incumbent) | 237,163 | 64.10 | −2.4 |
| | Democratic | Paula Hawks | 132,810 | 35.90 | +2.4 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 369,973 | | |

### 2018

South Dakota's at-large congressional district election, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Dusty Johnson | 202,446 | 60.30 | −3.8 |
| | Democratic | Tim Bjorkman | 120,816 | 36.00 | +0.1 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 323,262 | | |

### 2020

South Dakota's at-large congressional district election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Dusty Johnson (incumbent) | 321,984 | 80.96% | +20.61 |
| | Libertarian | Randy Luallin | 75,748 | 19.04% | +17.58 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 397,732 | 100.0% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2022

South Dakota's at-large congressional district election, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Dusty Johnson (incumbent) | 253,821 | 77.42% | –3.54 |
| | Libertarian | Collin Duprel | 74,020 | 22.58% | +3.54 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 327,841 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

## List of members representing the district
### 1889–1913: two seats

Two seats were created in 1889.
| Years | Cong ress | Seat A | Seat A | Seat A | Seat B | Seat B | Seat B |
| Years | Cong ress | Representative | Party | Electoral history | Representative | Party | Electoral history |
| November 2, 1889 – March 3, 1891 | 51st | John Pickler (Faulkton) | Republican | Elected in 1889. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Retired. | Oscar S. Gifford (Canton) | Republican | Elected in 1889. Lost renomination. |
| March 4, 1891 – August 14, 1891 | 52nd | John Pickler (Faulkton) | Republican | Elected in 1889. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Retired. | John Rankin Gamble (Yankton) | Republican | Elected in 1890. Died. |
| August 14, 1891 – December 7, 1891 | 52nd | John Pickler (Faulkton) | Republican | Elected in 1889. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Retired. | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant |
| December 7, 1891 – March 3, 1893 | 52nd | John Pickler (Faulkton) | Republican | Elected in 1889. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Retired. | John L. Jolley (Vermillion) | Republican | Elected to finish Gamble's term. Retired. |
| March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895 | 53rd | John Pickler (Faulkton) | Republican | Elected in 1889. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Retired. | William V. Lucas (Hot Springs) | Republican | Elected in 1892. Lost renomination. |
| March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897 | 54th | John Pickler (Faulkton) | Republican | Elected in 1889. Re-elected in 1890. Re-elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Retired. | Robert J. Gamble (Yankton) | Republican | Elected in 1894. Lost re-election. |
| March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1899 | 55th | John Edward Kelley (Flandreau) | Populist | Elected in 1896. Lost re-election. | Freeman Knowles (Deadwood) | Populist | Elected in 1896. Lost re-election. |
| March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1901 | 56th | Charles H. Burke (Pierre) | Republican | Elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Lost renomination. | Robert J. Gamble (Yankton) | Republican | Elected in 1898. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1907 | 57th 58th 59th | Charles H. Burke (Pierre) | Republican | Elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Lost renomination. | Eben Martin (Deadwood) | Republican | Elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| March 4, 1907 – June 26, 1908 | 60th | Philo Hall (Brookings) | Republican | Elected in 1906. Lost renomination. | William H. Parker (Deadwood) | Republican | Elected in 1906. Died. |
| June 26, 1908 – November 3, 1908 | 60th | Philo Hall (Brookings) | Republican | Elected in 1906. Lost renomination. | Vacant | Vacant | Vacant |
| November 3, 1908 – March 3, 1909 | 60th | Philo Hall (Brookings) | Republican | Elected in 1906. Lost renomination. | Eben Martin (Deadwood) | Republican | Elected to finish Parker's term. Also elected to next full term. Re-elected in 1910. Redistricted to the 3rd district. |
| March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1913 | 61st 62nd | Charles H. Burke (Pierre) | Republican | Elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Redistricted to the 2nd district. | Eben Martin (Deadwood) | Republican | Elected to finish Parker's term. Also elected to next full term. Re-elected in 1910. Redistricted to the 3rd district. |
In 1913, the two at-large seats were replaced by three districts. There were no at-large seats, therefore, until 1983.

### 1983–present: one seat

By 1983, the remaining two district seats were reduced to one at-large seat.
| Member | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| Tom Daschle (Aberdeen) | Democratic | January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1987 | 97th 98th 99th | Redistricted from the 1st district. and re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| Tim Johnson (Vermillion) | Democratic | January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1997 | 100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th | Elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| John Thune (Pierre) | Republican | January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2003 | 105th 106th 107th | Elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Retired to run for U.S. Senator. |
| Bill Janklow (Brandon) | Republican | January 3, 2003 – January 20, 2004 | 108th | Elected in 2002. Resigned when convicted of vehicular manslaughter. |
| Vacant | Vacant | January 20, 2004 – June 3, 2004 | 108th | |
| Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (Brookings) | Democratic | June 3, 2004 – January 3, 2011 | 108th 109th 110th 111th | Elected to finish Janklow's term. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Lost re-election. |
| Kristi Noem (Castlewood) | Republican | January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2019 | 112th 113th 114th 115th | Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Retired to run for Governor of South Dakota. |
| Dusty Johnson (Mitchell) | Republican | January 3, 2019 – present | 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. |