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 22% 67% 82% 6% 1997 28 72 95 4 1996 30 67 93 5 1995 18 80 96 4 1994 55 45 90 9 1993 30 70 96 2 1992 82 13 91 4 1991 78 22 89 9 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 91 1997 99 1996 98 1995 99 1994 98 1993 97 1992 94 1991 99	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 0% n/a 100% 100 % 1997 0 0 100 92 1996 10 9 81 100 1995 0 0 100 92 1994 15 22 100 95 1993 0 0 91 100 1992 5 17 75 96 1991 5 17 90 95
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 51 : San Diego area - Northern county suburbs

With its beautiful beach communities and upper-middle-class suburbs, the 51st is a steadily growing GOP stronghold. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by about 20 percent. More liberal-leaning voters dominate the coast, where beach replenishment and the environment are issues in upscale Del Mar and Encinitas and less affluent Carlsbad.

The 51st's conservative corridor, along Interstate 15, includes the Marine base in Miramar, which until 1996 was home to the Navy's famed "Top Gun" fighter school. As part of downsizing, the Naval Air Station moved to Nevada, and Marines from the closing El Torro and Tustin bases (in the 46th and 47th districts) have been moving to Miramar.

Heading north, Interstate 15 cuts through Poway, Rancho Bernardo and Escondido, which contains the district's population base and is the economic hub of Inland North County. In the 51st's piece of San Diego, the growing presence of cellular technology companies has contributed to its image as a mini-Silicon Valley.

Major Industry
High-tech, defense, manufacturing

Military Bases
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, 5,000 military, 800 civilian (1998)

Population
572,850 (1990)

Cities
San Diego (pt.), 204,554 (1990); Escondido, 123,146; Carlsbad, 73,686; Encinitas, 58,915 (1998)

People
97% urban; 11% age 65+ (ranks 16 of 52 in state; bottom third nationally); 61% married couples, 28% married couples with children; 35% college educated (ranks sixth of 52 in state; top third nationally); 70% white collar (ranks 10 of 52 in state; top third nationally), 18% blue collar (ranks 40 of 52 in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Race
85% white, 2% black, 8% Asian; 13% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$45,186 (ranks ninth of 52 in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Del Mar Race Track; Carlsbad grows and distributes most of the West Coast's fresh-cut flowers and is home to several major golf club manufacturers; Rancho Santa Fe, former home of the Heaven's Gate cult, which committed mass suicide in 1997.

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