CALIFORNIA 34 : East Los Angeles County suburbs; West Covina

This Democratic stronghold, once a predominately white area, is emerging as a middle-class Hispanic district. It includes more than one-third of East Los Angeles, runs east through Montebello and Pico Rivera, goes up north a bit to La Puente and drops down to pick up most of affluent Whittier, which has the district's largest Republican constituency.

Just north of East L.A.'s downtown is an area populated by what used to be called "Muppies" - Mexican yuppies who have moved in and fixed up old homes. Middle-class Hispanics also live in Montebello and Pico Rivera - called pure Middle America, Hispanic-style. Norwalk, the 34th's largest city, is a bedroom town, and while most of its voters are Democrats, they tend to be conservative in presidential contests.

The 34th includes the heart of East L.A.'s business district and the city of Santa Fe Springs, an industrial area with light manufacturing and oil wells. The 1999 closure of the district's Northrop Grumman plant, previously one of largest employers, was expected to be a major blow, leaving the closest aerospace plant 20 miles away.

Major Industry
Manufacturing, oil

Population
573,456 (1990)

Cities
Norwalk, 101,988; Pico Rivera, 62,591 (1998, est.); Montebello (pt.), 59,564; Whittier (pt.), 56,997 (1990)

People
100% urban; 9% age 65+ (ranks 39 of 52 in state; bottom third nationally); 61% married couples, 33% married couples with children; 12% college educated (ranks 46 of 52 in state; bottom third nationally); 52% white collar (ranks 41 of 52 in state; bottom third nationally), 35% blue collar (ranks fifth of 52 in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Race
57% white, 2% black, 9% Asian; 62% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$36,224 (ranks 23 of 52 in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Whittier, where Richard Nixon lived and attended college, was the epicenter of L.A.'s massive 1987 earthquake.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company