Arkansas's 1st congressional district

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Arkansas's 1st congressional district
Arkansas's 1st congressional district (since 2023).svg
Arkansas's 1st congressional district
Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023
Representative
  Rick Crawford
RJonesboro
Area17,521 sq mi (45,380 km2)
Distribution
  • 55.5% rural
  • 44.5% urban
Population (2022)747,672 [1]
Median household
income
$50,233 [1]
Ethnicity
Occupation
Cook PVI R+22 [2]

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. [2]

Contents

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

The district from 2003 to 2013 AR-1-CD.PNG
The district from 2003 to 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, Searcy, Sharp, Stone, and Woodruff. The district also encompasses parts of Jefferson county.

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.

#CountySeatPopulation
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 14,961
111 Poinsett Harrisburg 22,397
117 Prairie Des Arc, DeValls Bluff 8,036
119 Pulaski 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

YearOfficeResults
2000 President Bush 51 - 45%
2004 President Bush 54 - 44%
2008 President McCain 59 - 38%
2012 President Romney 61 - 36%
2016 President Trump 65 - 30%
2018 Governor Hutchinson 69 - 27%
2020 President Trump 69 - 28%
Senate Cotton 74 - 26%
2022 Senate Boozman 72 - 25%
Governor Sanders 70 - 29%

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 .

MemberPartyYearCong
ress
Electoral historyLocation
District created March 4, 1853
Alfred B. Greenwood, Representative from Arkansas, Thirty-fifth Congress, half-length portrait LCCN2010649413 (cropped).jpg
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.
Hindman, Thomas Carmichael, 1828-1868-full.jpg
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.
VacantMarch 4, 1861 –
June 22, 1868
37th
38th
39th
40th
Civil War and Reconstruction
Logan H. Roots (cropped).jpg
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.
Hon. James M. Hanks, Ark - NARA - 527092.jpg
James M. Hanks
(Helena)
Democratic March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1873
42nd Elected in 1870.
Retired.
AsaHodges.jpg
Asa Hodges
(Marion)
Republican March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1875
43rd Elected in 1872.
Retired.
LCGause.jpg
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. [3]
Philip Doddridge McCulloch Jr.png
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.
RobertBMacon.jpg
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.jpg
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.
WilliamJDriver.jpg
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 Gathings.jpg
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.
William Alexander, Jr.jpg
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 official portrait.jpg
Blanche Lincoln
(Helena)
Democratic January 3, 1993 –
January 3, 1997
103rd
104th
Elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Retired.
1993–2003
[ data missing ]
Rep Marion Berry.jpg
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
Ar01 109.png
Rick Crawford, Official Portrait, 112th Congress.jpg
Rick Crawford
(Jonesboro)
Republican January 3, 2011 –
present
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
117th
118th
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.
2013–2023
Arkansas US Congressional District 1 (since 2013).tif
2023–present
Arkansas's 1st congressional district in Little Rock (since 2023).svg

Recent election results

2002

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2002
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Robert Marion Berry*129,70167%
Republican Tommy F. Robinson 64,35733%
Majority65,34433%
Total votes194,058 100.00
Democratic hold

2004

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2004
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Robert Marion Berry*162,38867%
Republican Vernon Humphrey81,55633%
Majority80,83233%
Total votes243,944 100.00
Democratic hold

2006

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2006
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Robert Marion Berry*127,57769%
Republican Mickey Stumbaugh56,61131%
Majority70,96639%
Total votes184,188 100.00%
Democratic hold

2008

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2008
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Robert Marion Berry*124,304100%
Majority100%
Total votes124,304 100%
Democratic hold

2010

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2010
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Rick Crawford93,22452%
Democratic Chad Causey78,26743%
Green Ken Adler8,3205%
Write-In Write-ins2050.11%
Majority14,9579%
Total votes180,016 100.00%
Republican gain from Democratic

2012

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2012
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Rick Crawford*138,80056%
Democratic Scott Ellington96,60139%
Libertarian Jessica Paxton6,4273%
Green Jacob Holloway5,0152%
Majority42,19917.10%
Total votes246,843 100.00%
Republican hold

2014

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2014
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Rick Crawford*124,13963%
Democratic Jackie McPherson63,55532%
Libertarian Brian Scott Willhite8,5625%
Majority60,58431%
Total votes196,256 100.00%
Republican hold

2016

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2016 [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Rick Crawford*183,86676.28%
Libertarian Mark West57,18123.72%
Majority126,68552.56%
Total votes241,047 100.00%
Republican hold

2018

The 2018 election was held on November 6, 2018.

Arkansas' 1st congressional district, 2018
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Rick Crawford (incumbent) 138,757 68.9
Democratic Chintan Desai57,90728.8
Libertarian Elvis Presley4,5812.3
Total votes201,245 100.0
Republican hold

2020

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2020
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Rick Crawford (incumbent) 237,596 100.0
Total votes237,596 100.0
Republican hold

2022

Arkansas's 1st Congressional District House Election, 2022 [5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Rick Crawford (incumbent) 153,774 73.80
Democratic Monte Hodges 54,59826.20
Total votes208,372 100
Republican hold

See also

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References

Specific
  1. 1 2 "My Congressional District". www.census.gov. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  3. Welch, Melanie. "William Henderson Cate (1839–1899)". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  4. 2016 election results
  5. "U.S. CONGRESS DISTRICT 01". Arkansas Secretary of State. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
General

35°17′38″N91°15′30″W / 35.29389°N 91.25833°W / 35.29389; -91.25833