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% 76% 93% 7% 1997 27 69 90 8 1996 34 66 91 9 1995 20 80 91 9 1994 40 60 94 6 1993 38 62 86 14 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 99 1997 97 1996 99 1995 99 1994 99 1993 99	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 5% n/a 82% 100 % 1997 15 0 100 88 1996 10 0 88 95 1995 5 0 96 84 1994 20 0 100 86 1993 20 8 91 88
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

MICHIGAN 2 : West - Holland; Muskegon

The 2nd stretches 140 miles along Lake Michigan, covering counties full of cherry trees and asparagus farms. Pioneers, most of them Dutch, were drawn to the region by rich logging opportunities. Now, heavy manufacturing dominates the most populated counties, including Muskegon, Ottawa and Allegan, but the early settlers' pioneering spirit persists. Dutch independence has made the 2nd one of the most staunchly Republican districts in Michigan, rivaled only by the Grand Rapids district (the 3rd) just to the east.

Some support for Democratic candidates can be found among minority voters in the district's largest city, Muskegon, which is home to the 2nd's only state-level Democratic representative. Muskegon has struggled to keep manufacturing jobs since the end of World War II. But local tax incentives have drawn in new automotive parts suppliers, helping the economy rebound. Western Michigan also hosts several of the nation's top office furniture makers, with both Herman Miller and Haworth having their headquarters in the district.

South of Muskegon lies Holland, a conservative, Dutch-settled port town that draws tourists from all over the Midwest. Holland is the westernmost point of the "Dutch Triangle," formed by Holland, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo. The turn-of-the-century Dutch lifestyle is recreated in Dutch Village, complete with wooden shoes and klompen dancers. The city's annual tulip festival draws about 500,000 visitors every May.

Major Industry
Metal, furniture, tourism, agriculture

Population
581,017 (1990)

Cities
Muskegon, 39,518; Holland, 33,247; Norton Shores, 22,710 (1996)

People
52% rural; 32% age 65+ (ranks seventh of 16 in state; middle third nationally); 64% married couples, 31% married couples with children; 14% college educated (ranks ninth of 16 in state; bottom third nationally); 48% white collar (ranks 16 of 16 in state; bottom third nationally), 36% blue collar (ranks first of 16 in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Race
93% white, 4% black, 1% Asian; 3% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$28,905 (ranks 10 of 16 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
World's largest weather vane in Whitehall; National Asparagus Festival in Oceana County.

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