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 20% 78% 89% 9% 1997 28 72 92 6 1996 33 67 91 9 1995 19 78 92 7 1994 47 47 84 11 1993 44 54 87 10 1992 64 34 86 12 1991 78 19 81 14 1990 51 29 70 13 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 97 1997 99 1996 99 1995 98 1994 95 1993 96 1992 97 1991 95 1990 84	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 5% n/a 89% 92 % 1997 10 14 100 84 1996 5 0 94 90 1995 5 8 96 84 1994 20 56 75 86 1993 20 33 73 79 1992 20 42 75 80 1991 15 8 80 89 1990 17 9 85 80
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 9 : West - Northern Pinellas and Hillsborough counties; central Pasco County;
Clearwater

Suburban and rural areas north of Tampa and St. Petersburg form the bulk of the 9th, which encompasses northern Pinellas and Hillsborough and central Pasco counties. A 1992 redistricting stripped the district of coastal Pasco, but the Republican Party still has an edge because of its dominance in the communities around Clearwater. The 9th has long been a home for mostly Republican retirees, but Democrats have done well in Pasco County.

The 9th is now an older, mostly residential area. Clearwater, the largest city, is best known as a beach resort and the home of Scientology, with which the city maintains an uneasy relationship. Palm Harbor and Tarpon Springs have many Greek Orthodox residents, descendants of the area's earliest settlers.

The 9th's economy is driven by tourism, and many residents commute to Tampa and St. Petersburg. Service-oriented industries add to the mix, but the predominance of shopping centers and strip malls has created growth problems in the coastal areas. The 9th's economy has grown along with its population, although its northeast portions have lagged behind the Clearwater area. The Hillsborough County portion of the district is mostly suburban. Inland Pasco County, which is bisected by Interstate 75, lacks major industry, although it has several sources of spring water.

Major Industry
Tourism, health care, technology

Population
562,814 (1990)

Cities
Clearwater (pt.), 96,886; Palm Harbor, 50,256 (1990); Dunedin, 34,797 (1997)

People
78% urban; 22% age 65+ (ranks eighth of 23 in state; top third nationally); 60% married couples, 21% married couples with children; 20% college educated (ranks seventh of 23 in state; middle third nationally); 65% white collar (ranks fifth of 23 in state; top third nationally), 20% blue collar (ranks 20 of 23 in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Race
95% white, 3% black, 1% Asian; 4% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$29,293 (ranks 11 of 23 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Tarpon Springs' waters were a major source of sea sponges before red tides killed them during the 1940s; Clearwater, site of the first Eckerd Drug Store, founded by Jack Eckerd, who once ran for governor.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company