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 33% 67% 77% 21% 1997 41 57 80 16 1996 43 54 79 20 1995 34 64 80 15 1994 47 53 76 23 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 98 1997 97 1996 99 1995 95 1994 99	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 25% n/a 89% 56 % 1997 35 13 90 67 1996 25 9 94 79 1995 20 0 87 68 1994 25 0 100 81
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 3 : West Central - Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids, Michigan's second-largest city, teems with auto plants and metals manufacturing, but it's a world away from Detroit. Conservative Dutch Republicans - not auto union Democrats - control the district, making the 3rd one of Michigan's most Republican regions. Its staunch conservatism is rivaled only by the neighboring 2nd District, based in Holland.

Also unlike Detroit, Grand Rapids has escaped complete dependence on the auto industry. The city is a leading producer of metal office furniture, in addition to making avionics systems, tools and home appliances. The city's economy prospered in the 1970s when modular furniture became popular, but it then suffered in the early 1990s when companies began to downsize their managerial staffs and cut back on office space. In a major effort to revitalize downtown Grand Rapids, the city built a new arena and recruited three minor league sports teams.

Gerald R. Ford made his way to the House and then the presidency from Grand Rapids, and his brand of small-government Republicanism and fiscal restraint still holds sway in the 3rd. One of the district's largest employers, Amway Corp., consistently contributes to Republicans around the nation. This direct sales company, which markets personal- and home-care products, promotes its philosophy of private philanthropy by donating generously to Grand Rapids' universities, hospitals and churches.

Major Industry
Office furniture, auto parts, metals manufacturing

Population
580,874 (1990)

Cities
Grand Rapids, 188,242; Wyoming, 66,571; Kentwood, 41,816 (1996)

People
69% urban, 25% rural; 11% age 65+ (ranks 13 of 16 in state; bottom third nationally); 59% married couples, 30% married couples with children; 19% college educated (ranks fifth of 16 in state; middle third nationally); 54% white collar (ranks seventh of 16 in state; middle third nationally), 31% blue collar (ranks seventh of 16 in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Race
90% white, 7% black, 1% Asian; 3% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$31,917 (ranks eighth of 16 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Norton Mound Group, one of the best preserved burial centers of Hopewell culture, which originated in Illinois and moved into Michigan some time between 500 and 300 B.C.

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