CQ Voting Studies are an annual analysis of a member's support or opposition to a given position. Interest Group Ratings are based on rankings from groups chosen to represent liberal, conservative, business and labor viewpoints.Voting Participation scores are based on the number of times a member voted "yea" or "nay" on roll call votes (not including quorum calls in the House). CQ Vote Studies Year Presidential Support Party Unity   S* O* S O 1998 76% 13% 85% 5% 1997 75 25 92 6 1996 67 24 86 5 1995 82 12 91 4 1994 72 24 92 3 1993 77 22 92 4 1992 11 77 82 4 1991 23 70 85 3 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 89 1997 96 1996 88 1995 95 1994 95 1993 95 1992 87 1991 88	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 80% n/a 21% 0 % 1997 95 100 20 8 1996 85 100 19 0 1995 95 100 0 9 1994 100 89 25 10 1993 100 100 9 4 1992 95 92 13 0 1991 90 100 11 0
Note on Interest Groups: ADA=Americans for Democratic Action; AFL-CIO=American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations; CCUS=Chamber of Commerce of the United States; ACU=American Conservative Union

CALIFORNIA 35 : South Central Los Angeles

The 35th is the most secure Democratic district in the state, with 75 percent of its voters registered as Democrats. Once predominately black, the 35th is seeing a huge influx of Hispanics, who are beginning to outnumber blacks. The district is mostly poor, but there are some middle-class areas in the southeast cities of Inglewood, Hawthorne and Gardena. Gardena also has a large and politically influential Japanese community.

Riots put the 35th in the headlines in 1992 when a white truck driver was dragged from his vehicle and beaten by a group of blacks at the intersection of Normandie and Florence avenues in the wake of a verdict acquitting four white police officers accused of beating black motorist Rodney King. In some sections of South Central Los Angeles, one can still observe vacant lots and buildings destroyed in fires set by rioters.

The economically depressed 35th has been trying to lure new businesses through loan guarantees and other incentives. In 1994 it became part of a federal empowerment zone established to help areas affected by the riots. For years, Gardena received a strong revenue stream as the only city in Los Angeles County that allowed poker parlors, which account for about 13 percent of the city's budget. In 2000, the Los Angeles Lakers and Kings are expected to move from the Great Western Forum to the new Staples Center in the nearby 33rd, a disappointment for the 35th.

Major Industry
Service, manufacturing

Population
570,697 (1990)

Cities
Los Angeles (pt.), 244,712 (1990); Inglewood, 118,500; Hawthorne, 78,600; Gardena, 58,000 (1998, est.)

People
100% urban; 7% age 65+ (ranks 46 of 52 in state; bottom third nationally); 42% married couples, 25% married couples with children; 10% college educated (ranks 49 of 52 in state; bottom third nationally); 47% white collar (ranks 47 of 52 in state; bottom third nationally), 35% blue collar (ranks fifth of 52 in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Race
21% white, 43% black, 6% Asian; 42% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$25,481 (ranks 48 of 52 in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Hollywood Park racetrack in Inglewood; Hawthorne was the birthplace of the Beach Boys and Northrop Corp., before it became aerospace giant Northrop Grumman Corp.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company