Kansas's 1st congressional district

Infobox U.S. congressional district
state = Kansas
district number = 1

---

representative = Jerry Moran
party = Republican
english area =
metric area =
percent urban =
percent rural =
population = 672,091
population year = 2000
median income = 34,869
percent white = 89.0
percent black = 2.1
percent asian = 1.0
percent native american = 0.5
percent hispanic = 10.9
percent other race = 4.3
percent blue collar =
percent white collar =
percent gray collar =
cpvi = R+20

District 1 for the United States House of Representatives in the state of Kansas is the eleventh largest congressional district in the nation. Popularly known as "the Big First", it encompasses 69 counties in western and central Kansas—more than half of the state—and is very rural in character. The largest city in the district is Salina. Other sizable cities in the district include Dodge City, Emporia, Garden City, Hays and Hutchinson, which was shifted to the 1st from the 4th District when Kansas lost a House seat following the 1990 census.

The 1st District has long been one of the most solidly Republican congressional districts in the country. Republican candidates often win in this district with 90% or more of the vote. The Republican congressman for this district, Jerry Moran, has represented the district since 1997, often without a Democratic opponent in the race.

History

Kansas had but one representative in the U.S. House of Representatives until after the census of 1870, which showed that the state was entitled to three members of the lower branch of the national legislature. In 1872 three Congressmen-at-large were elected, but by the act of March 2, 1874, the legislature divided the state into three districts. The first district was composed of the counties of Leavenworth, Doniphan, Brown, Nemaha, Marshall, Washington, Republic, Jewell, Smith, Phillips, Norton, Graham, Rooks, Osborne, Mitchell, Cloud, Clay, Ottawa, Ellis, Ellsworth, Russell, Saline, Dickinson, Lincoln, Riley, Pottawatomie, Jackson, Jefferson, Atchison, Davis (Geary), "and all that territory lying north of the second standard parallel."

No changes were made in until after the census of 1880, which gave the state seven Congressmen. On March 5, 1883, Governor Glick approved an act of the legislature which reduced the first district to only include the counties of Nemaha, Brown, Doniphan, Pottawatomie, Jackson, Atchison, Jefferson and Leavenworth. The apportionment was amended by the act of March 13, 1897, which placed Shawnee County in the first district and Pottawatomie County in the fourth district.

Although the census of 1890 showed the population of Kansas to be large enough to entitle the state to eight Congressmen, no additional district was created until 1905. By the act of March 9, 1905, the state was divided into eight districts with the first district being composed of the counties of Nemaha, Brown, Doniphan, Jackson, Atchison, Jefferson, Leavenworth and Shawnee.Cite encyclopedia| editor=Frank W. Blackmar| title=Congressional Districts| url=http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/1912/c/congressional_districts.html| encyclopedia=Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc ...| volume=I| publisher=Standard Pub Co| location=Chicago| year=1912| pages=400–401]

The district's current configuration dates from the 1960 Census, when Kansas was cut down from six districts to five. The old 2nd District was eliminated, and most of its territory was merged with the old 6th District to form the new 1st District. It has remained more or less the same since then, and has been considerably enlarged due to Kansas' declining population.

Demographics

Following redistricting after the U.S. Census in 2000,GR|2 there were 672,091 people, 260,490 households, and 177,858 families residing in the district. The population density was 11.7/mi² over a land area of 57,373 square miles (roughly the same size as the state of Illinois). There were 292,436 housing units at an average density of 5.1/mi². The racial makeup of the district is 89.02% White, 2.14% Black or African American, 0.95% Asian, 0.52% Native American, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 5.62% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.85% of the population.

There were 260,490 households out of which 34.52% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.30% were married couples living together, 7.65% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.72% were non-families. 27.58% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.75% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the district the population distribution by age was 26.46% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 26.27% from 25 to 44, 21.41% from 45 to 64, and 16.36% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.9 years. For every 100 females there were 98.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.

The median income for a household in the district is $34,869, and the median income for a family was $42,292. Males had a median income of $29,662 versus $20,851 for females. The per capita income for the district was $17,255. About 7.8% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

Among the population aged 16 years and older, 65.1% was in the civilian labor force and 0.4% were in the armed forces. Of the employed civilian workers, 16.3% were government workers and 11.4% were self-employed. Management, professional, and related occupations employed 29.4% of the work force and sales and office occupations an additional 23.4%. Only 2.7% were employed in farming, fishing, and forestry occupations. The largest employment by industry was: educational, health and social services, 22.7%; manufacturing, 13.8%; retail trade, 11.7%; and agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining, 10.1%.

Representatives

;Notes

1. note label|N1|A|noneCurtis previously served three terms (1893–1899) in the fourth district before Shawnee County was moved to the first district.
2. ^ note label|N2|B|anote label|N2|B|bCurtis was re-elected in the 1906 elections to serve in the 60th Congress, but he resigned on January 28, 1907, before the beginning of the new term (March 4, 1907), to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated with the resignation of Senator Joseph R. Burton. Anthony was elected May 23, 1907 to finish Curtis's term and assumed office on December 2, 1907.
3. note label|N3|C|noneAvery subsequently served one term (1963–1965) in the second district because of redistricting following the 1960 census.
4. note label|N4|D|noneDole previously served one term (1961–1963) in the sixth district before it was eliminated with redistricting following the 1960 census.

ee also

*United States Congressional Delegations from Kansas

References

External links

* [http://www.dollforcongress.org/action-newspapers.html Listing of All Newspapers in the Kansas 1st District]
* [http://www.dollforcongress.org/democratic-kansas-chairs.html Listing of all Democratic Party chairperson in the 1st District]