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% 73% 85% 12% 1997 33 67 89 11 1996 33 66 92 6 1995 28 72 89 10 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 95 1997 99 1996 98 1995 99	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 5% n/a 94% 92 % 1997 0 0 90 72 1996 10 18 94 100 1995 20 8 88 64
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

MARYLAND 2 : Baltimore and Harford counties

The 2nd includes Baltimore's northeastern suburbs, the northern and eastern sections of Baltimore County, Harford County to the east and a small portion of Anne Arundel County to the south. Although Democrats hold a 2-to-1 registration advantage, a mix of conservative Democrats and moderate Republicans makes the 2nd winnable for the GOP.

Baltimore's northern suburbs, the most affluent and fastest-growing area of the district, have led the 2nd to a GOP trend in national elections. Both Bob Dole and George Bush carried Baltimore County by small margins. In 1998, Baltimore County voted mostly Democratic in state and local elections, yet less-populated Harford County voted heavily Republican.

The district has enjoyed a fair amount of economic growth, aside from eastern Baltimore County's industrial sector, which has struggled with unemployment during the transition from an industrial to service-based economy. Bethlehem Steel, the county's largest employer, hopes to reduce this problem with a planned new mill at their Sparrows Point complex.

Harford County's fastest-growing residential area, located along Interstate 95, is a mix of conservative Democrats and socially conscious Republicans. In the northern and more agricultural parts of the county, there are more old-line, conservative Democrats and Republicans. The district is Democratic in the communities along Route 40, which are mostly working-class and military.

Major Industry
Manufacturing, military, agriculture

Military Bases
Aberdeen Proving Ground (Army), 3,451 military, 7,345 civilian (1998)

Population
597,450 (1990)

Cities
Dundalk (unincorporated), 65,800; Essex (unincorporated), 40,872; Towson (unincorporated) (pt.), 37,864 (1990)

People
76% urban; 12% age 65+ (ranks fourth of eight in state; middle third nationally); 62% married couples, 28% married couples with children; 22% college educated (ranks fifth of eight in state; top third nationally); 64% white collar (ranks fifth of eight in state; top third nationally), 17% blue collar (ranks seventh of eight in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Race
92% white, 6% black, 2% Asian; 1% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$40,120 (ranks fourth of eight in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Cal Ripken Jr. Museum; Ladew Topiary Gardens.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company