1980Flipped from RepublicanFinal results
1980 election for North Dakota's at-large District
U.S. House · North Dakota
Byron Dorgan (D) won with 56.8% of the vote, defeating Jim Smykowski (R) by 14.2 points, a seat Republicans won last time.
Byron DorganDemocrat · winner
56.8%166,437
Jim SmykowskiRepublican
42.6%124,707
John LengenfelderOther party
0.3%1,004
Torfin A. TeigenIndependent
0.3%928
293,076 votes
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:25 AM ET
The seat over time
D − R margin in this seat's races around 1980
Races before and after
Source: MIT Election Data and Science LabUpdated Sep 30, 2026, 7:25 AM ET
Money in this race
Each line compares the two campaigns on one scale.
Byron DorganJim Smykowski
$200K
Raised by the campaign
$142.7K
$195.1K
Spent by the campaign
$130.1K
$0
Cash on hand
$0
Campaign money: FEC, through Dec 31, 1980.
Source: FEC campaign filingsUpdated Dec 31, 1980
The candidates
Byron Dorgan (D)Jim Smykowski (R)
Also on the ballot: John Lengenfelder (Other party), 0.3%; Torfin A. Teigen (Independent), 0.3%