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 63% 28% 70% 25% 1997 55 33 69 28 1996 68 27 68 28 1995 61 34 69 27 1994 74 24 86 11 1993 82 17 78 19 1992 35 60 81 14 1991 41 59 79 17 1990 31 66 84 11 S=Support; O=Oppose
Voting Participation Year % 1998 93 1997 93 1996 93 1995 96 1994 97 1993 97 1992 96 1991 97 1990 93	Interest Groups Year ADA AFL-CIO CCUS ACU 1998 70% n/a 27% 32 % 1997 70 100 30 33 1996 65 100 25 15 1995 60 92 38 33 1994 60 89 33 38 1993 45 100 20 29 1992 70 100 43 21 1991 50 92 20 30 1990 61 100 21 21
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

WEST VIRGINIA 1 : North - Wheeling; Parkersburg; Morgantown

Located in the northernmost part of the state, the Democratic-leaning 1st is a predominantly rural region but the most urban of West Virginia's three districts. It contains six of the state's 10 largest cities and its largest university. Wheeling, an industrial town and commercial center in the north, and Parkersburg, a regional trade center in the west, are two of the main urban areas.

The district was hit hard by economic depression in the 1980s, losing population as factories shut down and coal mines mechanized. Unemployment remained high in the 1990s - topping 10 percent in some counties - and six of 20 counties lost population. But a budding technology sector has brightened economic prospects. New FBI and NASA facilities have since opened in the district, and Morgantown, home to West Virginia U., is attracting high-tech firms. Located amid the coal fields of Monongalia County (one of the state's leading coal-producing counties), Morgantown also is home to Software Valley, an organization that promotes regional computer-oriented business and research activity.

Although the 1st has long elected Democrats to Congress and has more registered Democrats than Republicans, Parkersburg and Wheeling have some Republican-leaning state House districts.

Major Industries
Metals, high-tech, chemical

Population
598,056 (1990)

Cities
Wheeling, 33,311; Parkersburg, 32,766; Morgantown, 26,919 (1996)

People
55% rural; 16% age 65+ (ranks first of three in the state; top third nationally); 59% married couples, 27% married couples with children; 14% college educated (ranks first of three in state; bottom third nationally); 51% white collar (ranks second of three in state; bottom third nationally), 33% blue collar (ranks second of three in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Race
98% white, 2% black, 1% Asian; 1% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$21,903 (ranks second of three in state; bottom third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Prabhupada's Palace of Gold, built by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in Moundsville; Don Knotts of "The Andy Griffith Show" born in Morgantown in 1924.

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