Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district covers most of the Driftless Area in southwestern and western Wisconsin. The district includes the cities of Eau Claire, La Crosse, and Stevens Point, as well as many Wisconsin-based exurbs of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. It borders the states of Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois. Republican Derrick Van Orden has represented the district since 2023.
Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district | |
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Interactive map of district boundaries since January 3, 2023 | |
Representative | |
Area | 13,565.50 sq mi (35,134.5 km2) |
Distribution |
|
Population (2022) | 741,433 |
Median household income | $67,520[1] |
Ethnicity |
|
Cook PVI | R+4[3] |
The political nature of the district is moderate, given its combination of an overall rural and suburban character counterbalanced by two significant urban centers (Eau Claire and La Crosse) and the Twin Cities suburbs. It historically elected moderate Republicans; before Ron Kind's 1996 victory, only two Democrats represented it in the 20th century. Al Gore, John Kerry, and Barack Obama all carried the district at the presidential level; it then narrowly voted for Donald J. Trump in 2016 and again in 2020 with slightly increased margins, as a result, the Cook Partisan Voting Index adjusted the district's partisan lean in 2021 from "even" to R+4.
Counties and municipalities within the district
edit# | County | Seat | Population |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Adams | Friendship | 20,875 |
11 | Buffalo | Alma | 13,302 |
17 | Chippewa | Chippewa Falls | 66,865 |
23 | Crawford | Prairie du Chien | 16,075 |
33 | Dunn | Menomonie | 45,547 |
35 | Eau Claire | Eau Claire | 106,452 |
43 | Grant | Lancaster | 52,110 |
53 | Jackson | Black River Falls | 21,121 |
57 | Juneau | Mauston | 26,802 |
63 | La Crosse | La Crosse | 120,433 |
81 | Monroe | Sparta | 46,193 |
91 | Pepin | Durand | 7,364 |
93 | Pierce | Ellsworth | 42,587 |
97 | Portage | Stevens Point | 70,468 |
103 | Richland | Richland Center | 17,212 |
121 | Trempealeau | Whitehall | 30,724 |
123 | Vernon | Viroqua | 30,915 |
141 | Wood | Wisconsin Rapids | 74,070 |
- Adams, Arkdale, Dellwood, Friendship, Grand Marsh, Lake Arrowhead, Lake Camelot, Lake Sherwood, and Wisconsin Dells (Adams County section).
- Alma, Buffalo City, Cochrane, Fountain City, Mondovi, and Nelson.
- Bell Center, Eastman, Ferryville, Gays Mills, Lynxville, Mount Sterling, Prairie du Chien, Soldiers Grove, Steuben, and Wauzeka.
- Altoona, Augusta, Eau Claire, Fairchild, and Fall Creek.
- Bagley, Boscobel, Bloomington, Blue River, Cassville, Cuba City, Dickeyville, Fennimore, Hazel Green, Lancaster, Livingston, Montfort, Muscoda, Platteville, Potosi, and Tennyson.
- Alma Center, Black River Falls, Hixton, Melrose, and Taylor.
- Camp Douglas, Elroy, Hustler, Lyndon Station, Mauston, Union Center, and Wonewoc.
- Bay City, Ellsworth, Maiden Rock, Plum City, Prescott, River Falls (Pierce County side), Spring Valley (Pierce County side).
- Almond, Amherst, Amherst Junction, Junction City, Nelsonville, Park Ridge, Plover, and Whiting.
- Arcadia, Blair, Eleva, Ettrick, Galesville, Independence, Pigeon Falls, Osseo, Strum, Trempealeau, and Whitehall.
List of members representing the district
editMember | Party | Years | Cong ress |
Electoral history | District |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
District established March 4, 1849 | |||||
James Duane Doty (Menasha) |
Democratic | March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1851 |
31st 32nd |
Elected in 1848. Re-elected in 1850. Retired. |
|
Independent Democratic | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 | ||||
John B. Macy (Fond du Lac) |
Democratic | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 |
33rd | Elected in 1852. Lost re-election. | |
Charles Billinghurst (Juneau) |
Opposition | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 |
34th 35th |
Elected in 1854. Re-elected in 1856. Lost re-election. | |
Republican | March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859 | ||||
Charles H. Larrabee (Horicon) |
Democratic | March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861 |
36th | Elected in 1858. Lost re-election. | |
A. Scott Sloan (Beaver Dam) |
Republican | March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863 |
37th | Elected in 1860. Retired. | |
Amasa Cobb (Mineral Point) |
Republican | March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1871 |
38th 39th 40th 41st |
Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1864. Re-elected in 1866. Re-elected in 1868. Retired. |
|
J. Allen Barber (Lancaster) |
Republican | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1875 |
42nd 43rd |
Elected in 1870. Re-elected in 1872. Retired. | |
Henry S. Magoon (Darlington) |
Republican | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 |
44th | Elected in 1874. Lost renomination. | |
George Cochrane Hazelton (Boscobel) |
Republican | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883 |
45th 46th 47th |
Elected in 1876. Re-elected in 1878. Re-elected in 1880. Lost renomination. | |
Burr W. Jones (Madison) |
Democratic | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885 |
48th | Elected in 1882. Lost re-election. |
|
Robert M. La Follette (Madison) |
Republican | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891 |
49th 50th 51st |
Elected in 1884. Re-elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. Lost re-election. | |
Allen R. Bushnell (Madison) |
Democratic | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 |
52nd | Elected in 1890. Retired. | |
Joseph W. Babcock (Necedah) |
Republican | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1907 |
53rd 54th 55th 56th 57th 58th 59th |
Elected in 1892. Re-elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. Re-elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Lost re-election. |
|
James William Murphy (Platteville) |
Democratic | March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1909 |
60th | Elected in 1906. Lost re-election. | |
Arthur W. Kopp (Platteville) |
Republican | March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1913 |
61st 62nd |
Elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. Retired. | |
John M. Nelson (Madison) |
Republican | March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1919 |
63rd 64th 65th |
Redistricted from the 2nd district and re-elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Lost renomination. |
|
James G. Monahan (Darlington) |
Republican | March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1921 |
66th | Elected in 1918. Lost renomination. | |
John M. Nelson (Madison) |
Republican | March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1933 |
67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd |
Elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Lost renomination. | |
Gardner R. Withrow (La Crosse) |
Republican | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1935 |
73rd 74th 75th |
Redistricted from the 7th district and re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Lost re-election. |
|
Progressive | January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1939 | ||||
Harry W. Griswold (West Salem) |
Republican | January 3, 1939 – July 4, 1939 |
76th | Elected in 1938. Died. | |
Vacant | July 4, 1939 – January 3, 1941 |
||||
William H. Stevenson (La Crosse) |
Republican | January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1949 |
77th 78th 79th 80th |
Elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Lost renomination. | |
Gardner R. Withrow (La Crosse) |
Republican | January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1961 |
81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th |
Elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Retired. | |
Vernon Wallace Thomson (Richland Center) |
Republican | January 3, 1961 – December 31, 1974 |
87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd |
Elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Lost re-election and resigned early. | |
most of Monroe County
| |||||
Vacant | December 31, 1974 – January 3, 1975 |
93rd | |||
Alvin Baldus (Menomonie) |
Democratic | January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1981 |
94th 95th 96th |
Elected in 1974. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Lost re-election. | |
Steve Gunderson (Osseo) |
Republican | January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1997 |
97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th |
Elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Retired. | |
| |||||
1993–2003 | |||||
Ron Kind (La Crosse) |
Democratic | January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2023 |
105th 106th 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th 116th 117th |
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. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Retired. | |
2003–2013 | |||||
2013–2023 | |||||
Derrick Van Orden (Prairie du Chien) |
Republican | January 3, 2023 – present |
118th | Elected in 2022. | 2023–present |
Recent election results
edit2002 district boundaries (2002–2011)
editYear | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2002[4] | Nov. 5 | Ron Kind (inc) | Democratic | 131,038 | 62.82% | Bill Arndt | Rep. | 69,955 | 33.54% | 208,581 | 61,083 |
Jeff Zastrow | Lib. | 6,674 | 3.20% | ||||||||
2004[5] | Nov. 2 | Ron Kind (inc) | Democratic | 204,856 | 56.43% | Dale W. Schultz | Rep. | 157,866 | 43.49% | 363,008 | 46,990 |
2006[6] | Nov. 7 | Ron Kind (inc) | Democratic | 163,322 | 64.79% | Paul R. Nelson | Rep. | 88,523 | 35.12% | 252,087 | 74,799 |
2008[7] | Nov. 4 | Ron Kind (inc) | Democratic | 225,208 | 63.19% | Paul Stark | Rep. | 122,760 | 34.44% | 356,400 | 102,448 |
Kevin Barrett | Lib. | 8,236 | 2.31% | ||||||||
2010[8] | Nov. 2 | Ron Kind (inc) | Democratic | 126,380 | 50.28% | Dan Kapanke | Rep. | 116,838 | 46.49% | 251,340 | 9,542 |
Michael Krsiean | Ind. | 8,001 | 3.18% |
2011 district boundaries (2012–2021)
editYear | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012[9] | Nov. 6 | Ron Kind (inc) | Democratic | 217,712 | 64.08% | Ray Boland | Rep. | 121,713 | 35.82% | 339,764 | 95,999 |
2014[10] | Nov. 4 | Ron Kind (inc) | Democratic | 155,368 | 56.46% | Tony Kurtz | Rep. | 119,540 | 43.44% | 275,161 | 35,828 |
Ken Van Doren (write-in) | Ind. | 128 | 0.05% | ||||||||
2016[11] | Nov. 8 | Ron Kind (inc) | Democratic | 257,401 | 98.86% | Ryan Peterson (write-in) | Rep. | 169 | 0.06% | 260,370 | 254,601 |
2018[12] | Nov. 6 | Ron Kind (inc) | Democratic | 187,888 | 59.65% | Steve Toft | Rep. | 126,980 | 40.31% | 314,989 | 60,908 |
2020[13] | Nov. 3 | Ron Kind (inc) | Democratic | 199,870 | 51.30% | Derrick Van Orden | Rep. | 189,524 | 48.64% | 389,618 | 10,346 |
2022 district boundaries (2022–2031)
editYear | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022[14] | Nov. 8 | Derrick Van Orden | Republican | 164,743 | 51.82% | Brad Pfaff | Dem. | 152,977 | 48.12% | 317,922 | 11,766 |
Election results from statewide races
editYear | Office | Results |
---|---|---|
2000 | President | Al Gore 49% – George W. Bush 46% |
2004 | President | John Kerry 51% – George W. Bush 48% |
2008 | President | Barack Obama 58% – John McCain 41% |
2012 | President | Barack Obama 54.8% – Mitt Romney 43.8% |
2014 | Governor | Scott Walker 50.1% – Mary Burke 48.52% |
2016 | President | Donald J. Trump 49.3% – Hillary Clinton 44.8% |
Senator | Ron Johnson 49.2% – Russ Feingold 47% | |
2018 | Senator | Tammy Baldwin 56.4% – Leah Vukmir 43.5% |
Governor | Tony Evers 49.8% – Scott Walker 47.9% | |
2020 | President | Donald J. Trump 52% - Joe Biden 46% |
2022 | Senator | Ron Johnson 52.8% – Mandela Barnes 47.1% |
Governor | Tony Evers 49.6% – Tim Michels 49.1% | |
2023 | Supreme | Janet Protasiewicz 55% – Daniel Kelly 45% |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "My Congressional District: Wisconsin Congressional District 3". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
- ^ "Congressional District 3, WI". Census Reporter. 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
- ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/05/2002 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 2, 2002. p. 4. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/02/2004 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2004. p. 3. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/07/2006 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 5, 2006. p. 4. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ Results of Fall General Election - 11/04/2008 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin State Elections Board. December 1, 2008. p. 3. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ 2010 Fall General Election Results Summary (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. December 1, 2010. p. 3. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2012 Presidential and General Election - 11/6/2012 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. December 26, 2012. p. 3. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2014 General Election - 11/4/2014 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. November 26, 2014. p. 3. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2016 General Election - 11/8/2016 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. December 22, 2016. p. 3. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2018 General Election - 11/6/2018 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. February 22, 2019. p. 4. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2020 General Election - 11/3/2020 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 18, 2020. p. 2. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
- ^ Canvass Results for 2022 General Election - 11/8/2022 (PDF) (Report). Wisconsin Elections Commission. November 30, 2022. p. 3. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- 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