CQ Risk Rating: Safe Democrat 
| GENERAL ELECTION: NOVEMBER 7, 2000 |
|
| David Phelps (D) | 155,101 | 65% |
| James E. "Jim" Eatherly (R) | 85,137 | 35% |
| PRIMARY ELECTION: MARCH 21, 2000 |
|
| | Votes | Percentage | | Democratic |
| David Phelps | 39,500 | 100% |
| | Republican |
| James E. "Jim" Eatherly | 21,939 | 100% |
Source: Congressional Quarterly. To suggest updates and corrections: politics.feedback@cq.com
Major Industry | Population | Cities | People | Race | Median Household Income | Unusual Features
ILLINOIS 19
:
Rural - Southern counties; Decatur
The 19th's inclination to vote Democratic masks its split personality. The
northern counties cover typical Midwestern country - acres of corn and
soybean fields, dotted by small towns. Its conservative, rural voters elect
Republicans to local offices.
That's less true in the district's largest and northernmost city,
Decatur, which has yet to fully rebound from 1980s industrial downsizing.
Grain processing by Archer Daniels Midland Co. and other heavy manufacturing
drive the economy of this midsize city, giving it a substantial blue-collar
population. Decatur is home to most of the district's small minority
population, and it leans slightly Democratic.
The southern half of the district looks more like Appalachia than
Midwestern prairie. Its hilly, forested counties depend on timber and coal
mining and have been suffering since the 1990 Clean Air Act killed demand
for the region's highly sulfurous coal. Its voters are socially conservative
but don't trust Republican politicians to take their economic interests to
heart. As a result, they enthusiastically support conservative Democrats
with populist platforms.
Major Industry
Agriculture, coal mining, manufacturing, food products
Population
571,390 (1990)
Cities
Decatur, 81,369; Charleston, 20,168; Mattoon, 18,267 (1996)
People
51% rural; 17% age 65+ (ranks first of 20 in state; top third nationally);
60% married couples, 27% married couples with children; 11% college educated
(ranks 19 of 20 in state; bottom third nationally); 46% white collar (ranks
19 of 20 in state; bottom third nationally), 34% blue collar (ranks second
of 20 in state; top third nationally) (1990)
Race
96% white, 4% black, 0% Asian; 0% Hispanic origin (1990)
Median Household Income
$22,979 (ranks 20 of 20 in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)
Unusual Features
Metropolis, the official Hometown of Superman since 1972; Chicago Bears got
their start as the Decatur Staleys in 1918.
Source: Congressional Quarterly (Updated April 1999)
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District 19
