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 71% 27% 77% 18% 1997 73 27 81 17 1996 72 27 79 20 1995 68 31 76 22 1994 81 18 89 9 1993 82 16 85 13 1992 34 66 83 15 1991 40 59 82 15 1990 29 69 86 14 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 94 1997 97 1996 99 1995 98 1994 98 1993 97 1992 99 1991 97 1990 98	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 85% n/a 50% 17 % 1997 70 88 50 17 1996 60 80 31 25 1995 65 83 46 16 1994 65 88 50 24 1993 55 83 45 25 1992 75 67 50 28 1991 50 83 30 21 1990 56 67 36 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

SOUTH CAROLINA 5 : North Central - Rock Hill

The 5th spans 13 mostly rural counties in the north-central part of the state, stretching from near Charlotte, N.C., to the Columbia suburbs, then spreading east and west. The combination of tobacco farmers, white-collar Charlotte commuters and textile workers makes this a conservative district, still clinging to its traditional Southern Democrat roots.

In the west, rural counties such as Newberry, Chester, Lancaster and Kershaw produce cotton for the textile mills that historically have dominated this region's economy. The two largest cities, Rock Hill and Sumter, add immigrants from the North. Rock Hill, once dependent on the textile industry, now serves as a home for white-collar commuters and Winthrop U.

The city of Sumter, once the center of a large agricultural area, is now shifting towards industry. Seven miles west of Sumter, Shaw Air Force Base makes up one-third of the area's economy. In the east, residents of Darlington, Dillon and Marlboro counties depend heavily on tobacco farming.

Politically, the district is dominated by poorer, rural, "Yellow Dog" Democrats. Taxes, economic growth and agricultural policies are dominant issues in the 5th, which also has a significant contingent of union workers.

Major Industry
Cotton, textiles, tobacco

Military Bases
Shaw Air Force Base, 5,837 military, 829 civilian (1998)

Population
581,174 (1990)

Cities
Rock Hill, 44,061 (1996); Sumter (pt.), 27,863 (1990); Gaffney, 13,275 (1996)

People
63% rural; 12% age 65+ (ranks third of six in state; middle third nationally); 59% married couples, 28% married couples with children; 13% college educated (ranks fifth of six in state; bottom third nationally); 43% white collar (ranks fifth of six in state; bottom third nationally), 43% blue collar (ranks first of six in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Race
68% white, 31% black, 0% Asian; 0% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$25,215 (ranks fifth of six in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Lee County Cotton Festival, held every October, celebrates the agricultural history of "King Cotton"; Televangelist Jim Bakker's PTL ministry headquarters were located in Fort Mill.

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