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Lamar Smith (R)

Elected: 1986 (8th term)
Hometown: San Antonio
Born: November 19, 1947; San Antonio, Texas
Religion: Christian Scientist
Family: Wife, Elizabeth Smith; two children
Education: Yale U., B.A. 1969; Southern Methodist U., J.D. 1975
Career: Lawyer; rancher
Political Highlights: Texas House, 1981-82; Bexar County Commissioners Court, 1983-85; U.S. House, 1987-present
Committees: Judiciary ( Constitution; Crime - chairman; Immigration & Claims); Science ( Research; Space & Aeronautics)
Address: 2231 Rayburn House Office Building, Independence Ave. and S. Capitol St., S.W., Washington, DC, 20515-4321
Phone: (202) 225-4236
Fax: (202) 225-8628
E-mail: www.house.gov/writerep
Web site: www.house.gov/lamarsmith

Source: Congressional Quarterly (Updated: November 10, 2000). To suggest updates and corrections: politics.feedback@cq.com


Record and Rankings
RECORD AND RANKINGS

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 22% 74% 93% 5%
1997 31 68 92 6
1996 34 63 90 4
1995 17 83 94 2
1994 41 54 93 4
1993 35 63 94 4
1992 77 21 85 9
1991 75 23 84 11
1990 68 31 82 13
S=Support; O=Oppose

Voting Participation
Year %
1998 98
1997 97
1996 95
1995 97
1994 97
1993 98
1992 94
1991 95
1990 95
Interest Groups
Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU
1998 0% n/a 100% 92 %
1997 0 0 100 88
1996 10 10 93 100
1995 0 0 100 84
1994 5 11 92 95
1993 5 8 100 96
1992 20 36 88 88
1991 5 25 70 84
1990 11 25 86 83

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

Source: Congressional Quarterly (Updated April 1999) AT A GLANCE
AT A GLANCE
Major Industry | Military Bases | Population | Cities | People | Race | Median Household Income | Unusual Features

TEXAS 21 : South Central - Western Bexar County; Austin suburbs

The 21st's odd shape reflects the lengths to which Texas mapmakers went in 1992 to divide Democratic and Republican neighborhoods. Because of their efforts, the district remains largely conservative territory. Its huge land mass takes in all or part of 21 counties, from oil-rich Midland County in the northwest, to the northeastern Austin suburbs in Williamson County and San Antonio's metro area in the southeast.

Almost one-fourth of the district's population lives in Bexar County, most in the middle- and upper-class neighborhoods of San Antonio. The 21st also takes in San Angelo's wealthier neighborhoods where the mostly white residents are well-educated professionals, many of whom work in the high-tech industry. The district's military and farming populations deliver a consistently Republican vote at the local and national levels.

Nearby military bases contribute to the 21st's economy and account for the district's large numbers of active and retired military personnel. While the diverse economy has remained relatively strong, the late 1990s brought signs of an economic slow-down in Midland County's oil industry and elsewhere in the district as ranchers and farmers applied for federal drought and flood assistance.

Major Industry
Agriculture, high-tech, government

Military Bases
Goodfellow Air Force Base, San Angelo, 1,477 military, 579 civilian (1998)

Population
566,105 (1990)

Cities
San Antonio (pt.), 124,233 (1990); Round Rock, 52,479 (1996); San Angelo (pt.), 35,945 (1990)

People
49% urban, 29% rural; 13% age 65+ (ranks seventh of 30 in state, middle third nationally); 63% married couples, 29% married couples with children; 28% college educated (ranks eighth of 30 in state, top third nationally); 67% white collar (ranks eighth of 30 in state, top third nationally), 18% blue collar (ranks 25 of 30 in state, bottom third nationally) (1990)

Race
91% white, 3% black, 1% Asian; 14% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$32,103 (ranks seventh of 30 in state, middle third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Tom Green County is the self-proclaimed "sheep and wool capital" of the nation; The Admiral Nimitz Museum and Historical Center in Fredericksburg has a major collection of Allied and Japanese aircraft, guns and other artifacts from World War II.

Source: Congressional Quarterly (Updated April 1999)


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