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 83% 17% 93% 5% 1997 75 25 87 11 1996 82 15 90 9 1995 84 15 92 7 1994 85 10 93 4 1993 82 18 90 5 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 97 1997 98 1996 97 1995 98 1994 96 1993 94	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 95% n/a 28% 4 % 1997 90 100 30 16 1996 95 100 25 5 1995 90 92 29 16 1994 75 88 45 15 1993 90 100 27 13
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 6 : Central and South - Florence; parts of Columbia and Charleston

A majority-black district, the 6th winds its way through 16 counties in the eastern half of the state, starting near the North Carolina border and reaching south of Charleston. With five of South Carolina's six poorest counties, the 6th is the state's poorest district.

Roughly 40 percent of the district's families depend on tobacco and related industries for their income. In the 1980s, Lee, Bamberg, Marion and Williamsburg counties lost population as residents left farms and textile jobs disappeared. For those who stayed, agriculture remains an important part of life.

Other sectors of the district's economy have fared better. Pharmaceuticals contribute to Florence County, while metalworking and plastics manufacturing, paperboard and textiles sustain the economy in the city of Florence. Nearly 12,000 retired military personnel call the district home, and many residents who live around Columbia commute to state government jobs.

The 6th gives solid and consistent support to Democrats at all levels of government. Strong turnout among the district's many majority-black communities makes this seat a virtual Democratic lock, although some Republican support exists in the suburbs of Charleston and Columbia.

Major Industry
Agriculture, health care, government, textiles

Population
581,452 (1990)

Cities
Columbia (pt.), 44,935; Charleston (pt.), 32,895 (1990); Florence, 30,168 (1996)

People
51% rural; 12% age 65+ (ranks fourth of six in state; middle third nationally); 49% married couples, 24% married couples with children; 12% college educated (ranks sixth of six in state; bottom third nationally); 42% white collar (ranks sixth of six in state; bottom third nationally), 37% blue collar (ranks third of six in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Race
37% white, 62% black, 0% Asian; 1% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$19,189 (ranks sixth of six in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
All of the state's historically black colleges and universities are within the district; Clarendon County (pop. 28,450) can claim five South Carolina governors - and all were related.

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