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 22% 78% 91% 8% 1997 27 73 95 4 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 99 1997 98	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 5% n/a 83% 92 % 1997 5 0 90 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

MISSOURI 8 : Southeast - Cape Girardeau

Within the borders of the 8th is some of the state's most bountiful farmland, and the district's agricultural diversity is matched by its political breadth.

The 8th, which takes in Missouri's southeastern corner, spans the spectrum from solidly Republican counties in the west and northeast along the Mississippi River to "Yellow Dog" Democratic territory in the southeastern corner, known as the boot heel. Although party registration is split evenly, the district often follows the Republican lead of its northeast counties, such as Cape Girardeau and Perry, in congressional contests.

The major growth centers in the district are its northernmost counties, Washington and St. Francois, which attract commuters to St. Louis. Both counties lean Democratic. The "boot heel," a cluster of counties in the 8th's southeastern corner, is a former wheat- and cotton-growing region which now produces soybeans and corn. Above the boot heel, along the Mississippi River, dairy production and beef cattle fuel the economy.

The district's varied agricultural economy, along with one of the world's richest lead supplies in the central counties, provide the 8th with unusual economic stability for a mostly rural area.

Major Industry
Agriculture, mining, lumber

Population
568,385 (1990)

Cities
Cape Girardeau, 35,464; Sikeston, 17,874; Poplar Bluff, 17,043 (1996)

People
63% rural; 16% age 65+ (ranks first of nine in state; top third nationally); 61% married couples, 28% married couples with children; 10% college educated (ranks ninth of nine in state; bottom third nationally); 42% white collar (ranks ninth of nine in state; bottom third nationally), 37% blue collar (ranks first of nine in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Race
95% white, 4% black, 0% Asian; 1% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$18,207 (ranks ninth of nine in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Cape Girardeau is the birthplace of Rush Limbaugh; Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote her "Little House on the Prairie" books in Mansfield.

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