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 60% 40% 58% 41% 1997 57 40 69 30 1996 56 43 68 32 1995 47 53 75 25 1994 71 28 57 41 1993 74 26 59 40 1992 42 58 50 49 1991 58 41 46 54 1990 40 60 47 52 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 99 1997 99 1996 99 1995 99 1994 98 1993 99 1992 99 1991 99 1990 99	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 60% n/a 61% 24 % 1997 55 63 67 32 1996 50 73 69 50 1995 40 33 63 40 1994 50 67 75 38 1993 60 83 55 38 1992 75 75 50 40 1991 45 75 40 40 1990 61 50 50 33
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 YORK 23 : Central - Utica; Rome

The 23rd covers the small towns and rural hamlets of central New York, where James Fenimore Cooper wrote tales of the frontier days that gave central New York its nickname, the "Leatherstocking Region." Despite its rural heritage, most of the district's population now lives around Utica and Rome, aging industrial cities on the Mohawk River that have suffered as heavy manufacturing leaves the state. Blue-collar jobs are still important to these cities, giving the 23rd a number of Democratic voters.

The district took a major hit when Griffiss Air Force Base closed in 1993, eliminating thousands of jobs. An effort to turn the Mohawk River Valley into a high-tech information center - aided by the Air Force's Rome Laboratory, which works with many of the state's universities - has helped replace some of those jobs. The 23rd also is home to the Oneida Nation tribe, which runs a highly profitable casino in Verona and has a long-running lawsuit against the state to reclaim its native lands.

Chronic problems with acid rain in the Adirondacks have made environmental issues important to many of the district's residents. Aside from this proclivity for earth-friendly policies, the district's rural residents and dairy farmers are traditional Yankee Republicans. Combined with city voters, the district leans marginally Republican. While its Republican congressman has held the seat since 1982, winning by large margins, the district supported Clinton in 1996.

Major Industry
Electronics, manufacturing, higher education

Population
580,259 (1990)

Cities
Utica, 61,368; Rome, 40,979; Oneonta, 13,398 (1996)

People
55% rural; 15% age 65+ (ranks eighth of 31 in state; top third nationally); 58% married couples, 27% married couples with children; 16% college educated (ranks 25 of 31 in state; middle third nationally); 54% white collar (ranks 27 of 31 in state; middle third nationally), 27% blue collar (ranks sixth of 31 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Race
96% white, 3% black, 1% Asian; 1% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$26,155 (ranks 25 of 31 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown; National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta; National Boxing Hall of Fame in Canestota; Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan owns a farm in Pindars Corners.

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