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 29% 67% 83% 15% 1997 33 64 84 6 1996 35 62 88 9 1995 20 78 96 3 1994 44 56 93 7 1993 33 67 93 6 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 98 1997 89 1996 97 1995 99 1994 99 1993 99	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 10% n/a 88% 92 % 1997 5 0 90 95 1996 0 0 94 85 1995 0 0 100 88 1994 0 0 100 95 1993 5 0 100 96
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 23 : Southwest - Laredo; San Antonio suburbs

The politically moderate 23rd skims El Paso in the west, heads over to San Antonio in the east and borders Mexico to the south. The largest district in a state that boasts of doing everything bigger and better than the rest of the nation, the 23rd covers 27 counties that rest along the Rio Grande and has a Hispanic population reaching 62 percent.

The 23rd includes some of the nation's poorest counties along its southern border. Seasonal employment, the influx of legal and illegal immigrants and an abundance of cheaper Mexican labor contribute to high unemployment. Manufacturing operations along the border known as maquiladoras are an integral part of the economy. While it may be too early to gauge the long-term effects of NAFTA, an increase in trade and manufacturing has been of immediate benefit to the area.

In 1992, the 23rd elected a Republican who has since held onto the seat. While most of the district is Democratic-leaning, a majority of the 23rd's voters come from the Republican hub of Bexar County. Locally, most areas outside Bexar County continue to elect Democrats, but Republicans have made inroads in swaying conservative Democrats.

Major Industry
Agriculture, trade, tourism

Military Bases
Fort Bliss, 12,000 military, 7,000 civilian (1998) (shared with the 16th District); Laughlin Air Force Base, 1,416 military (1998), 952 civilian (1997)

Population
566,736 (1990)

Cities
Laredo, 164, 899 (1996); San Antonio, 60,599 (pt.) (1990); Del Rio, 34,495 (1996)

People
47% urban, 28% suburban; 9% age 65+ (ranks 19 of 30 in state; bottom third nationally); 66% married couples, 38% married couples with children; 17% college educated (ranks 13 of 30 in state; middle third nationally); 55% white collar (ranks 15 of 30 in state; middle third nationally), 26% blue collar (ranks 16th of 30 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Race
74% white, 3% black, 1% Asian; 62% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$21,555 (ranks 24 of 30 in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Texas' largest county, Brewster, is 6,208 square miles, about the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company