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 23% 59% 92% 7% S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 99	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 0% n/a 93% 95 % 1997 n/a n/a n/a n/a
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 44 : Eastern Riverside County

Ritzy desert resorts and large, irrigated farms fueled a growing economy in the area known as California's Inland Empire during the 1990s. The 44th's population base is split into two regions: the upscale, resort-filled Coachella Valley to the east, and Hemet and the rapidly growing Los Angeles Basin and Riverside bedroom communities in Moreno Valley to the west.

Although the 44th is a reliably Republican district, pockets in Rancho Mirage and Palm Springs tend to vote Democratic. Once known as playgrounds for the rich and retired, the resorts have seen a massive influx of younger, middle-class families. Still, the 44th has the highest percentage of senior citizens in California.

The Salton Sea - the largest man-made body of water in California, which sits between Palm Springs and the Mexican border - attracted attention in the 1990s as one of the nation's most polluted waterways. Congress voted in 1998 to fund a cleanup effort in honor of the late Rep. Sonny Bono, who represented the 44th from 1994 until his death in January 1998.

Major Industries
Tourism, agriculture, manufacturing

Population
571,843 (1990)

Cities
Moreno Valley (pt.), 111,488 (1990); Hemet, 65,468; Indio, 43,780; Palm Springs, 42,000 (1998 est.)

People
69% urban; 18% age 65+ (ranks first of 52 in state; top third nationally); 58% married couples, 25% married couples with children; 13% college educated (ranks 43 of 52 in state; bottom third nationally); 52% white collar (ranks 41 of 52 in state; bottom third nationally), 26% blue collar (ranks 18 of 52 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Race
77% white, 5% black, 3% Asian; 28% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$29,049 (ranks 43 of 52 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Palm Springs known as the Golf Capital of the world; Presidents Gerald R. Ford and Dwight D. Eisenhower retired to Rancho Mirage and Palm Desert respectively; Coachella Valley is the nation's top date producer.

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