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 82% 11% 93% 3% 1997 81 17 92 4 1996 85 13 89 6 1995 80 18 87 12 1994 68 29 85 8 1993 77 22 89 9 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 94 1997 96 1996 93 1995 97 1994 93 1993 98	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 100% n/a 31% 4 % 1997 90 100 44 20 1996 85 82 19 0 1995 80 92 38 16 1994 85 67 83 16 1993 90 83 27 17
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

MASSACHUSETTS 5 : North Central - Lawrence; Lowell

A generation ago, billowing smokestacks put Lawrence and Lowell among the nation's leading industrial centers. Today, the cities continue to be the population centers for the 5th, but the other wealthy suburbs and rural communities - home to some of the nation's most prestigious prep schools - give the district the highest median income in the state.

Lawrence's population has been declining as white flight carries many longtime residents to the suburbs, away from the growing Latino immigrant community. Residents left Lowell, too, in the early 1990s when a recession hobbled Digital Equipment and toppled computer giant Wang, which once employed 10,000. But a subsequent boom has attracted software and Internet companies, halting the decline. Through mergers, Wang rebounded as a software company but at a fraction of its original size.

Republicans controlled the 5th for most of the century until Paul Tsongas won the seat in 1974. Democrats have not let go since. The blue-collar and minority residents of Lowell and Lawrence vote strongly Democratic, as do many well-educated liberals in the suburbs. Other wealthy areas like Wayland, Carlisle, Acton and Andover lean Republican.

Major Industry
Computer software, defense, textiles

Population
601,527 (1990)

Cities
Lowell, 100,973; Lawrence, 68,807; Methuen, 41,029 (1996)

People
82% urban; 11% age 65+ (ranks 10 of 10 in state; bottom third nationally); 60% married couples, 30% married couples with children; 29% college educated (ranks fourth of 10 in state; top third nationally); 66% white collar (ranks fourth of 10 in state; bottom third nationally), 22% blue collar (ranks fourth of 10 in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Race
90% white, 2% black, 4% Asian; 8% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$42,701 (ranks first of 10 in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Concord, site of first day of fighting in the Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775 (now celebrated each year as Patriot's Day); Paul Revere's ride and the first Revolutionary battles (shared with the 7th) are re-enacted every year; Walden Pond served as temporary home to Henry David Thoreau.

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