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 78% 22% 92% 7% 1997 79 21 89 8 1996 81 19 91 9 1995 77 23 89 11 1994 71 29 89 11 1993 74 26 90 10 1992 29 71 82 18 1991 33 66 75 24 1990 29 71 79 20 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 99 1997 97 1996 100 1995 99 1994 100 1993 100 1992 99 1991 99 1990 99	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 100% n/a 28% 12 % 1997 95 100 30 12 1996 90 91 25 10 1995 85 83 33 24 1994 70 78 67 14 1993 90 92 36 13 1992 90 83 38 28 1991 60 92 10 30 1990 61 83 43 29
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

NEW JERSEY 6 : Central - Part of Edison; New Brunswick; Long Branch

Wedged in the heart of the state's suburbs, the 6th is a competitive, bellwether district that has been leaning Democratic in recent years. Most of the district is in industrial Middlesex County, but a thin stretch incorporates the shore communities in Monmouth County. In the southwest corner, New Brunswick consolidates two Democratic voting blocs: young voters from Rutgers U., and blacks. Nearby Piscataway has shifted to Democrats, but the GOP generally wins races in the wealthier suburbs of Highland Park.

Middle-class and independent-voting residents cluster around Edison (shared with the 7th), the district's largest city and home to corporate offices and some manufacturing. Issues such as the environment, Social Security and education are the bread and butter of local campaigns. The district also has one of the highest percentages of female voters in the state.

Exceptionally fast growth in this area after World War II established Middlesex County as the state's leader in industrial growth and earned it the nickname the "Sunbelt of New Jersey." The recent problems of Asbury Park are an exception to the generally sunny outlook. Once a vacation site made famous by rocker Bruce Springsteen, the town has seen crime grow dramatically as the economy has fallen apart.

Major Industry
Education, communications technology, pharmaceuticals

Population
594,650 (1990)

Cities
Edison (pt), 63,996 (1990); New Brunswick, 41,534; Sayreville, 37,352 (1996)

People
99% urban; 12% age 65+ (ranks eighth of 13 in state; middle third nationally); 57% married couples, 26% married couples with children; 25% college educated (ranks fifth of 13 in state; top third nationally), 65% white collar (ranks seventh of 13 in state; top third nationally), 23% blue collar (ranks seventh of 13 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Race
82% white, 11% black, 5% Asian; 6% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$42,309 (ranks fifth of 13 in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Edison named after inventor Thomas Edison, whose workshop in Menlo Park is a local attraction and features the World's Largest Light Bulb, which is 65 years old, 13 feet tall, weighs eight tons, and is illuminated at night.

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