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 24% 71% 85% 8% 1997 23 77 87 8 1996 30 67 82 10 1995 22 74 89 7 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 92 1997 93 1996 94 1995 95	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 10% n/a 78% 96 % 1997 10 0 70 100 1996 10 18 94 95 1995 15 8 88 96
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

FLORIDA 1 : Panhandle - Pensacola; Fort Walton Beach

Some residents of the 1st refer to the area as "Lower Alabama," and in spirit the area is much closer to the Old South than to, say, Miami. The district, which stretches from west of Tallahassee to Pensacola, has several large military bases and a mostly white population. Its Gulf Coast beaches and open spaces attract both tourists and residents seeking a small-town feel. The 1st widens at its eastern edge to include some of Bay County's pristine beaches.

Although voter registration is split between the parties, the 1st is a rock-solid conservative district. Its Democrats are more "Dixiecrats" than liberal, and several local and state officials from the area have switched to the GOP after decades as Democrats. The military presence also plays a significant role in politics; nearly one in seven residents of Okaloosa County is a military employee.

Tourism, health care and retirement communities have helped boost an economy slowed by manufacturing losses during the 1980s and early '90s. Growth here is slower than Florida's southern regions but could accelerate with the development of land held by St. Joe's Corp., a paper and real estate giant.

Major Industry
Defense, health care, tourism

Military Bases
Pensacola Naval Air Station, 11,192 military, 4,438 civilian; Eglin Air Force Base, 7,751 military, 5,180 civilian; Hurlburt Field, 7,514 military, 805 civilian; Whiting Field Naval Air Station, 2,000 military, 1,062 civilian; Naval Technical Training Center Corry Station, 2,030 military, 268 civilian (1998)

Population
561,856 (1990)

Cities
Pensacola, 59,162 (1997); West Pensacola, 22,107 (unincorporated) (1990); Fort Walton Beach, 21,933 (1997)

People
69% urban; 11% age 65+ (ranks 20 of 23 in state; bottom third nationally); 59% married couples, 26% married couples with children; 18% college educated (ranks 13 of 23 in state; middle third nationally); 57% white collar (ranks 16 of 23 in state; middle third nationally), 25% blue collar (ranks sixth of 23 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Race
84% white, 13% black, 2% Asian; 2% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$25,866 (ranks 14 of 23 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Famous "Blue Angels" flight group housed at Pensacola Naval Air Station; the Walton County town of Seaside was the setting for the movie "The Truman Show."

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