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 72% 24% 78% 20% 1997 69 28 74 20 1996 78 19 78 20 1995 79 20 80 18 1994 76 21 84 14 1993 76 24 86 13 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 97 1997 94 1996 98 1995 99 1994 98 1993 98	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 90% n/a 50% 21 % 1997 70 88 60 38 1996 80 82 31 11 1995 80 92 39 23 1994 65 38 75 14 1993 65 92 20 21
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

NORTH DAKOTA : At Large

North Dakota includes fertile eastern Red River farmlands, wheat-covered plains, arid grasslands farther west, the Badlands and Teddy Roosevelt's beloved ranches near the western border.

The state's agriculture-based economy was shaken in the 1990s by floods, blizzards, foreign competition and the reduction of federal support systems. In 1997, agricultural income dropped drastically in the wake of devastating Red River floods and steep declines in the price of wheat. Economic trends intensified a migration of the state's young people away from rural farming communities and into the cities of Fargo and Grand Forks, where a diversified economy and several universities provide greater job choice.

Democrats have represented North Dakota in the House since 1981, and the state's congressional delegation was entirely Democratic in the 1990s. But prior to then, the state had elected only three Democratic representatives in 90 years and had supported only three Democratic presidents in the 20th century. Republicans are more numerous and unwavering in the western part of the state, while eastern communities and American Indian reservations are more supportive of Democrats. But Republican roots are strong throughout the state, and the state legislature and governorship are GOP-controlled.

Major Industry
Agriculture, health care, higher education

Military
Minot Air Force Base, 5,186 military, 803 civilian; Grand Forks Air Force Base, 3,041 military, 599 civilian (1998)

Population
643,539 (1998 est.)

Cities
Fargo, 83,778; Bismarck, 53,514; Grand Forks, 50,675 (1996)

People
47% rural; 14% age 65+ (ranks top third nationally); 60% married couples, 30% married couples with children; 18% college educated (ranks middle third nationally); 52% white collar (ranks bottom third nationally), 22% blue collar (ranks bottom third nationally) (1990)

Race
95% white, 1% black, 1% Asian, 5% American Indian; 1% Hispanic origin (1996)

Median Household Income
$31,927 (ranks bottom third nationally) (1997)

Unusual Features
Lewis and Clark met Sakagawea, the Shoshone Indian woman who guided them to the Pacific Ocean, near the Mandan Indian village; Sitting Bull surrendered and spent two years imprisoned at Fort Buford; Gen. George Custer's home near Bismarck; World's largest concrete buffalo in Jamestown.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company