# Arkansas's 1st congressional district

Arkansas's 1st congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in eastern Arkansas that elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives. It is currently represented by Republican Rick Crawford. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+22, it is the most Republican district in Arkansas, a state with an all-Republican congressional delegation.

## Political history

The Mississippi Delta became dominated by industrial agriculture in the 20th century, with cotton, rice, and soybeans by far the biggest exports from the region. The 1st District covers most of the Arkansas Delta area and stretches as far west as the Ozarks. The farming areas, despite their fertility, are generally poor by national standards. Jobs are limited and unemployment and undereducation are major issues. Rice farms receive substantial subsidies from the federal farming program. Three of the top five subsidy farms in the United States are in this district, and they have received more than $100 million since 1996.
Some manufacturing has taken place in the region recently. Several auto parts factories were built in Marion, and Toyota has considered it as the site for its seventh North American plant. Jonesboro is the largest city. It is home to a sizable food processing industry, with companies such as Nestle and Frito-Lay sited here. Jonesboro is also home to Arkansas State University (ASU)-Jonesboro. While Jonesboro is dominated by conservative white Republican voters, as are some of the hill counties, African Americans in the Mississippi River Delta are committed Democratic voters.
Until recently, this district makeup resulted in a fairly closely divided vote in national politics. However, the district has been swept up in the growing Republican trend in Arkansas. While Al Gore narrowly carried the district in 2000 with 50% of the vote, George W. Bush won the district in 2004. The district swung even more Republican in 2008, giving John McCain 58.69% of the vote while Barack Obama received 38.41% here. The Republican vote has steadily increased since then with Donald Trump tallying 65 percent of the vote in 2016, his best showing in the state.

## Geography
### 2003–2013

Before the 2010 census, the 1st district represented portions of northeastern Arkansas, encompassing the counties of Arkansas, Baxter, Clay, Cleburne, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Fulton, Greene, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Lee, Lonoke, Mississippi, Monroe, Phillips, Poinsett, Prairie, Randolph, Saint Francis, Searcy, Sharp, Stone, and Woodruff.

### 2013–2023

The district was redesigned to take in additional counties in the southeastern portion that were part of the 4th district which in turn took the entire eastern Arkansas border. It is now more than 76% white, and they support Republican presidential candidates.
The district fully encompasses the counties of Arkansas, Baxter, Chicot, Clay, Cleburne, Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Desha, Fulton, Greene, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, Lonoke, Mississippi, Monroe, Phillips, Poinsett, Prairie, Randolph, Saint Francis, Sharp, Stone, and Woodruff. The district also encompasses parts of Jefferson and Searcy counties.

### 2023–present

The 1st district now includes the entirety of the following counties, with the exception of Pulaski, which it shares with the 2nd and 4th districts. The only Pulaski County municipalities located in the 1st district are Scott (which is partially located in Lonoke County) and North Little Rock, portions of which are also found in the 2nd district.
| # | County | Seat | Population |
| 1 | Arkansas | Stuttgart, DeWitt | 16,307 |
| 5 | Baxter | Mountain Home | 42,875 |
| 9 | Boone | Harrison | 38,530 |
| 17 | Chicot | Lake Village | 9,538 |
| 21 | Clay | Piggott, Corning | 14,201 |
| 31 | Craighead | Jonesboro, Lake City | 113,993 |
| 35 | Crittenden | Marion | 47,139 |
| 37 | Cross | Wynne | 16,420 |
| 41 | Desha | Arkansas City | 10,479 |
| 49 | Fulton | Salem | 12,421 |
| 55 | Greene | Paragould | 46,743 |
| 63 | Independence | Batesville | 38,320 |
| 65 | Izard | Melbourne | 14,169 |
| 67 | Jackson | Newport | 16,784 |
| 75 | Lawrence | Walnut Ridge | 16,318 |
| 77 | Lee | Marianna | 8,201 |
| 79 | Lincoln | Star City | 12,898 |
| 85 | Lonoke | Lonoke | 75,944 |
| 89 | Marion | Yellville | 17,514 |
| 93 | Mississippi | Blytheville, Osceola | 38,663 |
| 95 | Monroe | Clarendon | 6,512 |
| 107 | Phillips | Helena-West Helena | 14,961 |
| 111 | Poinsett | Harrisburg | 22,397 |
| 117 | Prairie | Des Arc, DeValls Bluff | 8,036 |
| 119 | Pulaski (shared with 2nd and 4th districts) | Little Rock | 400,009 |
| 121 | Randolph | Pocahontas | 18,907 |
| 123 | St. Francis | Forrest City | 22,101 |
| 129 | Searcy | Marshall | 7,806 |
| 135 | Sharp | Ash Flat | 17,968 |
| 137 | Stone | Mountain View | 12,671 |
| 147 | Woodruff | Augusta | 5,964 |

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | McCain 58% - 39% |
| 2012 | President | Romney 63% - 37% |
| 2016 | President | Trump 65% - 30% |
| 2016 | Senate | Boozman 64% - 32% |
| 2018 | Governor | Hutchinson 69% - 28% |
| 2018 | Lt. Governor | Griffin 68% - 29% |
| 2018 | Attorney General | Rutledge 66% - 31% |
| 2020 | President | Trump 69% - 28% |
| 2022 | Senate | Boozman 72% - 25% |
| 2022 | Governor | Huckabee Sanders 70% - 28% |
| 2024 | President | Trump 72% - 26% |

## List of members representing the district

The district was created in 1853 after the 1850 United States census added a second seat to the state. The at-large seat then was split between this district and the second district.
| Member | Party | Year | Cong ress | Electoral history | Location |
| District created March 4, 1853 ||||||
| Alfred B. Greenwood (Bentonville) | Democratic | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1859 | 33rd 34th 35th | Elected in 1853. Re-elected in 1854. Re-elected in 1856. Retired. | |
| Thomas C. Hindman (Helena) | Democratic | March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861 | 36th | Elected in 1858. Re-elected in 1860 but resigned due to Civil War. | |
| Vacant | Vacant | March 4, 1861 – June 22, 1868 | 37th 38th 39th 40th | Civil War and Reconstruction | |
| Logan H. Roots (Duvalls Bluff) | Republican | June 22, 1868 – March 3, 1871 | 40th 41st | Elected in 1868 to finish term. Re-elected in 1868. Lost re-election. | |
| James M. Hanks (Helena) | Democratic | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873 | 42nd | Elected in 1870. Retired. | |
| Asa Hodges (Marion) | Republican | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1875 | 43rd | Elected in 1872. Retired. | |
| Lucien C. Gause (Jacksonport) | Democratic | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879 | 44th 45th | Elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Retired. | |
| Poindexter Dunn (Forrest City) | Democratic | March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1889 | 46th 47th 48th 49th 50th | Elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Re-elected in 1882. Re-elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Retired. | |
| William H. Cate (Jonesboro) | Democratic | March 4, 1889 – March 5, 1890 | 51st | Elected in 1888. Lost contested election. | |
| Lewis P. Featherstone (Forrest City) | Labor | March 5, 1890 – March 3, 1891 | 51st | Successfully contested William H. Cate's 1888 election. Lost re-election. | |
| William H. Cate (Jonesboro) | Democratic | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 | 52nd | Elected in 1890. Retired. | |
| Philip D. McCulloch Jr. (Marianna) | Democratic | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1903 | 53rd 54th 55th 56th 57th | Elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Retired. | |
| Robert B. Macon (Helena) | Democratic | March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1913 | 58th 59th 60th 61st 62nd | Elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Lost renomination. | |
| Thaddeus H. Caraway (Jonesboro) | Democratic | March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1921 | 63rd 64th 65th 66th | Elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Retired to run for U.S. senator. | |
| William J. Driver (Osceola) | Democratic | March 4, 1921 – January 3, 1939 | 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd 73rd 74th 75th | Elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Lost renomination. | |
| Ezekiel C. Gathings (West Memphis) | Democratic | January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1969 | 76th 77th 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th | Elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Retired. | |
| Bill Alexander (Osceola) | Democratic | January 3, 1969 – January 3, 1993 | 91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd | Elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Lost renomination. | |
| Blanche Lincoln (Helena) | Democratic | January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1997 | 103rd 104th | Elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Retired. | 1993–2003 [data missing] |
| Marion Berry (Gillett) | Democratic | January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2011 | 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th | Elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Retired. | 1993–2003 [data missing] |
| Marion Berry (Gillett) | Democratic | January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2011 | 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th | Elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Retired. | 2003–2013 |
| Rick Crawford (Jonesboro) | Republican | January 3, 2011 – present | 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2003–2013 |
| Rick Crawford (Jonesboro) | Republican | January 3, 2011 – present | 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2013–2023 |
| Rick Crawford (Jonesboro) | Republican | January 3, 2011 – present | 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. | 2023–present |

## Recent election results
### 2002

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Robert Marion Berry* | 129,701 | 67% |
| | Republican | Tommy F. Robinson | 64,357 | 33% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 65,344 | 33% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 194,058 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2004

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2004 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Robert Marion Berry* | 162,388 | 67% |
| | Republican | Vernon Humphrey | 81,556 | 33% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 80,832 | 33% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 243,944 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2006

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Robert Marion Berry* | 127,577 | 69% | 2% |
| | Republican | Mickey Stumbaugh | 56,611 | 31% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 70,966 | 39% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 184,188 | 100.00% | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2008

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2008 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Robert Marion Berry* | 124,304 | 100% | 31% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 100% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 124,304 | 100% | |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2010

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Rick Crawford | 93,224 | 52% | 48% |
| | Democratic | Chad Causey | 78,267 | 43% | |
| | Green | Ken Adler | 8,320 | 5% | |
| | Write-In | Write-ins | 205 | 0.11% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14,957 | 9% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 180,016 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2012

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Rick Crawford (Incumbent) | 138,800 | 56% | 4% |
| | Democratic | Scott Ellington | 96,601 | 39% | |
| | Libertarian | Jessica Paxton | 6,427 | 3% | |
| | Green | Jacob Holloway | 5,015 | 2% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 42,199 | 17.10% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 246,843 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2014

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Rick Crawford (Incumbent) | 124,139 | 63% | 7% |
| | Democratic | Jackie McPherson | 63,555 | 32% | |
| | Libertarian | Brian Scott Willhite | 8,562 | 5% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 60,584 | 31% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 196,256 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2016

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Rick Crawford (Incumbent) | 183,866 | 76.28% | 13.28% |
| | Libertarian | Mark West | 57,181 | 23.72% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 126,685 | 52.56% | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 241,047 | 100.00% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2018

The 2018 election was held on November 6, 2018.
Arkansas' 1st congressional district, 2018 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Rick Crawford (Incumbent) | 138,757 | 68.9 |
| | Democratic | Chintan Desai | 57,907 | 28.8 |
| | Libertarian | Elvis Presley | 4,581 | 2.3 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 201,245 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2020

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2020 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Rick Crawford (Incumbent) | 237,596 | 100.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 237,596 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2022

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Rick Crawford (Incumbent) | 153,774 | 73.80 |
| | Democratic | Monte Hodges | 54,598 | 26.20 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 208,372 | 100 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |