Nebraska's 3rd congressional district

Nebraska's 3rd congressional district
Current Representative		Adrian M. Smith (R–Gering)
Distribution	46.21% urban, 53.79% rural
Population (2000)	570,571
Median income	$33,866
Ethnicity	94.4% White, 0.3% Black, 0.5% Asian, 6.0% Hispanic, 0.8% Native American, 0.1% other
Cook PVI	R+24

Nebraska's 3rd congressional district seat encompasses the western three-fourths of the state; it is one of the largest non-at-large Congressional districts in the country, covering nearly 65,000 square miles (170,000 km²), two time zones and 68.5 counties. It includes Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, North Platte, Scottsbluff and Columbus.

Nebraska has had at least three congressional districts since 1883. The district's current configuration dates from 1963, when Nebraska lost a seat as a result of the 1960 United States Census. At that time, most of the old 3rd and 4th districts were merged to form the new 3rd District.

The district is one of the most Republican districts in the nation. Democrats have only come close to winning this district twice as currently drawn, in 1974 and 2006; and Republican presidential and gubernatorial candidates routinely carry the district with margins of 70 percent or more. Although Nebraska's state legislature is elected on a nonpartisan basis, all but one state senator representing a significant portion of the district is known to be a Republican.

It is currently held by Republican Adrian M. Smith. The previous congressman, Tom Osborne, did not seek reelection in order to wage an unsuccessful campaign for the Republican nomination for governor of Nebraska.

List of representatives

References

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Congressional Biographical Directory of the United States 1774–present