The U.S. Census Bureau released its population estimates last month, and the combination of Montana’s continued steady growth and other states’ continued decline or slower growth means the Treasure State could be in line for a second member of Congress.
Currently, Republican Greg Gianforte is the lone U.S. congressman in the state, which has had a single seat since losing one in 1990. Based on the latest figures, that could change after the official 2020 U.S. Census is released and when congressional seats are reallocated before the 2022 election.
To be sure, Montana is not guaranteed an additional seat. According to a report by Election Data Services, a political consulting firm specializing in redistricting, it’s unclear whether Texas will gain two or three seats in 2020, or if Montana will gain one or remain at-large.