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 30% 67% 74% 23% 1997 40 59 80 19 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 98 1997 98	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 20% n/a 65% 88 % 1997 30 25 60 80
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

TEXAS 14 : Southeast - Victoria; San Marcos

Spanning a 15,000-square-mile area between Houston and San Antonio, the 14th contains a stretch of coastal land from Galveston to near Corpus Christi and then spreads inland to wrap around Austin. The district has only two cities with relatively large populations, and nearly 80 percent of its residents are native-born Texans. Dominated by farms and petrochemical plants, the 14th leans Republican but has Democratic roots and a sizable minority population.

Chemical companies like Union Carbide have their facilities near the Gulf Coast, where they rode the 1980s oil glut to success by making antifreeze and other products. Victoria, the district's largest city, is a leading oil and chemical center. Mingled with the chemical-producers on the coast are fishermen who haul in boatloads of shrimp.

Farmers in the 14th's interior grow rice, grain and sorghum, while the northwestern reaches of the district benefit from Austin's health care and government sectors. The district also holds attraction for nature lovers, who can visit Goose Island State Park, the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and several bird sanctuaries.

Politically, the 14th tends to elect Republicans but not by the overwhelming margins that some suburban Houston districts rack up, especially at the national level. Locally, Republicans tend to do very well in the southern portions of the 14th, while the areas around Austin have taken on some of that city's more liberal leanings.

Major Industry
Petrochemicals, agriculture, health care

Population
566,008 (1990)

Cities
Victoria, 61,059; San Marcos, 34,994; Bay City, 18,705 (1996)

People
51% rural; 13% age 65+ (ranks sixth of 30 in state; middle third nationally); 61% married couples, 30% married couples with children; 14% college educated (ranks 22 of 30 in state; bottom third nationally); 49% white collar (ranks 24 of 30 in state; bottom third nationally), 31% blue collar (ranks seventh of 30 in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Race
78% white, 11% black, 1% Asian; 23% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$23,812 (ranks 17 of 30 in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Lyndon B. Johnson born in Blanco County; Stephen F. Austin, Texas' founder, from Jones Creek, near the city of Freeport.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company