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 78% 22% 85% 15% 1997 80 20 84 15 1996 81 19 77 22 1995 78 20 83 17 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 99 1997 99 1996 99 1995 99	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 95% n/a 50% 4 % 1997 75 88 60 13 1996 75 82 31 10 1995 85 100 29 8
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 25 : South Houston and suburbs

The 25th covers the southern portions of Houston from its west end through Pasadena and Baytown east of the city. It takes in much of the land around the port of Houston, including the cities of Morgan's Point and Deer Park. One of the few swing districts in the Houston area, the 25th has a mix of upscale neighborhoods, Reagan Democrats and suburban black areas. It also has a sizable portion of Houston's Jewish population. Stances on issues, not party affiliation, often decide close elections, although 1996 redistricting made the 25th more competitive by trimming some of its Democratic edge.

The 25th's voters tend to be fiscally conservative but socially progressive, evidenced by their support for abortion rights. The eastern edges of the district have refineries, cowboy bars along with union Democrats who went for Ronald Reagan in 1980 but also helped deliver a slight majority to Clinton in 1996. The western, more suburban portion of the 25th lies next to the 7th District, one of the most conservative in the area.

Once mostly agricultural, the district's land has long since been converted to industrial purposes, including refining and plastics production. The 25th's proximity to the Houston Ship Channel and the presence of the Texas Medical Center, which has an estimated $10 billion impact on the region, helped boost the economy during the 1990s. Many residents commute to the nearby Johnson Space Center.

Major Industry
Energy, shipping, health care

Population
563,510 (1990)

Cities
Houston (pt.), 332,677; Pasadena (pt.), 78,257; Baytown (pt.), 40,969 (1990)

People
99% urban; 8% age 65+ (ranks 22 of 30 in state; bottom third nationally); 49% married couples, 26% married couples with children; 26% college educated (ranks ninth of 30 in state; top third nationally); 62% white collar (ranks ninth of 30 in state; top third nationally), 24% blue collar (ranks 20 of 30 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Race
63% white, 23% black, 4% Asian; 18% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$29,611 (ranks eighth of 30 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
The original "Yellow Rose of Texas," a slave from Morgan's Point named Emily, is credited with helping Texans win the battle of San Jacinto in 1836 by detaining Mexican Gen. Santa Anna.

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