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 18% 82% 89% 10% 1997 28 72 88 7 1996 30 68 89 11 1995 14 86 95 4 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 98 1997 97 1996 99 1995 99	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 15% n/a 76% 84 % 1997 5 0 80 92 1996 15 18 88 100 1995 0 8 96 100
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

TENNESSEE 3 : Southeast - Chattanooga; Oak Ridge

Stretching from just north of Knoxville to the Georgia border, the 3rd mixes rolling hills with two major cities, Oak Ridge and Chattanooga.

Once mostly industrial, Chattanooga is attempting to attract high-tech jobs with a "Technology Corridor" similar to Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. The plan encourages collaboration among high-tech companies in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Oak Ridge. A recently completed highway linking the Knoxville airport to Oak Ridge - home of nuclear laboratories where World War II weapons were created - has boosted growth.

Chattanooga has begun projects along the Tennessee River to inject life into its downtown. The Tennessee Aquarium, the world's largest freshwater aquarium, has paved the way for new downtown apartments, nightlife and museums. Economic struggles in isolated rural areas such as Morgan and Grundy counties - where water and electricity are sometimes unreliable - contrast with steady economic growth throughout the rest of the district.

The 3rd historically gives its representatives long tenures in Washington. Republican dominance in the 1960s and early '70s gave way to Watergate-era disillusionment that led to a 10-term hold for Democrats. The GOP has extended its winning percentage in recent elections, but it may be premature to declare entrenchment. Reagan and Bush won easily in the 1980s, but Clinton ran close races in the 1990s, losing by only a few dozen votes in 1992.

Major Industry
Nuclear research, high-tech research

Population
542,065 (1990)

Cities
Chattanooga, 150,425 (1996); Cleveland (pt.), 28,220 (1990); Oak Ridge, 27,742 (1996)

People
46% urban, 35% rural; 14% age 65+ (ranks fourth of nine; top third nationally); 59% married couples, 26% married couples with children; 16% college educated (ranks sixth of nine in state; middle third nationally); 53% white collar (ranks fifth of nine in state; bottom third nationally), 33% blue collar (fifth of nine in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Race
87% white, 12% black, 1% Asian; 1% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$24,687 (ranks fifth of nine in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Popularized by the Glenn Miller song, the Chattanooga Choo-Choo has been restored as a historic landmark.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company