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 65% 34% 74% 24% 1997 64 32 71 25 1996 73 27 68 30 1995 69 30 72 26 1994 81 17 79 15 1993 81 17 82 16 1992 25 67 75 15 1991 43 56 80 19 1990 25 74 85 14 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 97 1997 97 1996 98 1995 98 1994 94 1993 97 1992 91 1991 98 1990 98	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 85% n/a 72% 24 % 1997 55 75 80 25 1996 60 64 50 30 1995 75 75 63 32 1994 35 56 92 35 1993 55 75 50 29 1992 65 75 63 39 1991 50 75 40 20 1990 44 83 29 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

TENNESSEE 5 : Nashville

Home to state capital Nashville, the 5th is Tennessee's second-smallest district, but it looms large in economic, political and cultural value.

Although "Music City U.S.A." is known for the Grand Ole Opry and homes of country music stars, state government is its top employer with more than 17,000 jobs. Vanderbilt and 17 other schools make the district a hub for higher education in the state. And, as a national health care center, the district hosts several insurance companies and research facilities, including the Vanderbilt U. Medical Center.

While bargain retail stores and country music theme park Opryland have drawn hordes of tourists and locals to suburban Nashville, the downtown area has struggled. Nashvillians see their new downtown hockey arena and football stadium - home of the National Hockey League's Predators and the National Football League's Titans - as the future of the city.

The area's recent economic boom has attracted many young, Republican-leaning upper-class couples to neighborhoods such as Bellvue and the Hermitage. But the rural, tobacco-farming base in northern Robertson County remains staunchly Democratic, and the district's abundance of government employees, academics and labor unions favors moderate Democrats. Not a single Republican captured Nashville's congressional seat in the 20th century.

Major Industry
Country music, religious publishing, auto manufacturing

Population
541,878 (1990)

Cities
Nashville, 511,263; Brentwood, 22,076; Goodlettsville, 12,770 (1996)

People
93% urban; 12% age 65+ (ranks seventh of nine in state; middle third nationally); 48% married couples, 21% married couples with children; 23% college educated (ranks first of nine in state; top third nationally); 64% white collar (ranks first of nine in state; top third nationally), 22% blue collar (ranks ninth of nine in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Race
75% white, 23% black, 1% Asian; 1% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$28,208 (ranks third of nine in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
"The Hermitage," home of President Andrew Jackson; The only life-size reproduction of the Parthenon in Nashville.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company