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Ernest Istook, Jr.'s Ratings and Endorsements

Vote Smart displays all known interest group ratings for each candidate and official, regardless of issue or bias.

Keep in mind that ratings done by special interest groups often do not represent a non-partisan stance. In addition, some groups select votes that tend to favor members of one political party over another, rather than choosing votes based solely on issue concerns. Nevertheless, they can be invaluable in showing where an incumbent has stood on a series of votes in the past one or two years, especially when ratings by groups on all sides of an issue are compared. Website links, if available, and descriptions of the organizations offering performance evaluations are accessible by clicking on the name of the group.

With rare exceptions, Vote Smart displays interest group ratings as a 0-100 percentage. While many interest groups use percentages as ratings to begin with, please note that Vote Smart has translated some ratings to a percentage from a different rating system for consistency and ease in understanding. Please visit the group's website, email us at ratings@votesmart.org or call our Voter Information Hotline at 1-888-VOTESMART for more specific information.

95%
2003
95%
2001-2002
96%
1999-2000
100%
2001-2002
100%
1999-2000
100%
1999
100%
1997-1998
100%
1997
100%
1996
0%
2001
0%
1999
0%
1995-2003
0%
1995-1998
0%
1993-1996
100%
2001
71%
2001-2002
71%
2001-2002
44%
2001-2002
44%
2001-2002
64%
1999-2000
64%
1999-2000
38%
1998
50%
1997
33%
1996
30%
1995
33%
1994
Fence Sitter
2002
Fence Sitter
2002
11%
2003
0%
2001-2002
0%
2003-2004
0%
2001-2002
0%
2001-2002
17%
2000
11%
2003
11%
2003
0%
2001-2002
0%
2001-2002
0%
2001-2002
0%
2005
11%
2004
11%
2003
0%
2001-2002
13%
1999-2000
13%
1999-2000
17%
1999
0%
1997
25%
1995-1996
25%
1995-1996
25%
1995
38%
1993-1994
38%
1993-1994
0%
2003
0%
2003
100%
2004
100%
2003
29%
2005
29%
2005
89%
2005
89%
2005
18%
2005
18%
2005
0%
2005
82%
2005
82%
2005
82%
2005
82%
2005
18%
2005
18%
2005
84%
2004
84%
2004
16%
2004
16%
2004
0%
2004
7%
2004
93%
2004
93%
2004
91%
2004
91%
2004
17%
2003
17%
2003
77%
2003
77%
2003
73%
2003
73%
2003
23%
2003
23%
2003
27%
2003
27%
2003
21%
2003
21%
2003
77%
2003
77%
2003
79%
2003
79%
2003
61%
2002
61%
2002
75%
2002
75%
2002
0%
2002
19%
2002
19%
2002
0%
2002
85%
2002
85%
2002
36%
2002
36%
2002
81%
2002
81%
2002
14%
2001
14%
2001
94%
2001
94%
2001
81%
2001
81%
2001
0%
2001
0%
2001
85%
2001
85%
2001
74%
2000
74%
2000
40%
2000
40%
2000
57%
2000
57%
2000
60%
2000
60%
2000
39%
2000
39%
2000
26%
2000
26%
2000
0%
1999
55%
1999
55%
1999
3%
1999
96%
1999
96%
1999
44%
1999
44%
1999
92%
1999
92%
1999
18%
1998
18%
1998
0%
1998
81%
1998
81%
1998
88%
1998
88%
1998
19%
1998
19%
1998
82%
1998
82%
1998
0%
1996
20%
1996
20%
1996
79%
1996
79%
1996
0%
1996
90%
1996
90%
1996
76%
1996
76%
1996
0%
2003
100%
2003-2004
0%
2006
0%
2006
89%
2003
89%
2003
92%
2003-2004
82%
2003-2004
20%
2003
20%
2003
14%
2001-2002
14%
2001-2002
13%
1999-2000
13%
1999-2000
21%
1997-1998
21%
1997-1998
36%
1997
36%
1997
23%
1995-1996
23%
1995-1996
25%
2003-2004
100%
1997-1998
0%
2004
0%
2005
0%
2004
50%
2003
0%
2001-2002
0%
2001-2002
0%
2001
0%
1999-2000
0%
1999-2000
0%
1999
0%
1997-1998
0%
1997-1998
0%
1995-1996
0%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
95%
2003
95%
2001-2002
96%
1999-2000
70%
2004
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003
93%
2001-2002
92%
2000
75%
1997-1998
75%
1995-1996
0
2005
95%
1997
85%
1996
9%
2003-2004
0%
2001-2002
14%
1999-2000
0%
2004
0%
2004
0%
2003
0%
2003
0%
2002
0%
2002
0%
2001
0%
2001
20%
2000
20%
2000
27%
1999
27%
1999
0%
1998
0%
1998
0%
1997
0%
1997
0%
1996
0%
1996
8%
1995
8%
1995
33%
2006
95%
2003
95%
2001-2002
96%
1999-2000
15%
2000
63%
1999
38%
1998
36%
1997
42%
1996
57%
1995
0%
2005
0%
2004
50%
2003
100%
2002
0%
2004
0%
2003
0%
2001-2002
20%
2003
20%
2003
14%
2001-2002
14%
2001-2002
13%
1999-2000
13%
1999-2000
21%
1997-1998
21%
1997-1998
36%
1997
36%
1997
23%
1995-1996
23%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
100%
2001
100%
2000
100%
2003-2004
0%
2003
0%
1999-2000
0%
2003-2004
0%
2001-2002
0%
2004
100%
2003
0%
2002
95%
2003
95%
2001-2002
96%
1999-2000
92%
2003
100%
2002
100%
1999-2000
100%
1997-1998
89%
1997
100%
1995-1996
100%
2004
100%
2004
100%
2003
100%
2003
93%
2002
93%
2002
33%
2006
97%
2001-2002
85%
1999-2000
97%
1997-1998
98%
1995-1996
63%
2004
65%
2003
61%
2002
68%
2001
67%
1999
64%
1998
60%
1997
88%
1995
42%
2005
90%
2005
60%
2004
90
2003
90
2003
90
2003
89
2002
89
2002
89
2002
75%
2001
86%
2000
60%
2001-2002
60%
2001-2002
67%
1999-2000
67%
1999-2000
80%
1999-2000
80%
1999-2000
67%
1997-1998
67%
1997-1998
45%
1995
70%
1995
40%
2005-2006
40%
2005-2006
0%
2001-2002
88%
2003-2004
88%
2003-2004
68%
2001-2002
0
2001-2002
0%
2004
0%
2003
0%
2001-2002
0%
2004
9%
2003-2004
0%
2001-2002
14%
1999-2000
0%
2005
33%
2001-2002
33%
2001-2002
0%
2000
0%
1999
33%
1998
0%
1997
0%
1996
0%
1997-1998
0%
1997-1998
7%
1995-1996
7%
1995-1996
50%
2003-2004
33%
2005-2006
75%
2003
25%
2004
0%
2003
0%
2004
0%
2003
0%
2001-2002
100%
2001
100%
2001
77%
2003-2006
77%
2003-2006
69%
2003-2005
69%
2003-2005
91%
2003
91%
2003
76%
2002
76%
2002
79%
2001
79%
2001
0%
2005-2006
0%
2004
0%
2004
80%
2003-2004
100%
1997-1998
50%
2003-2004
31%
2003-2004
0%
1997-1998
44%
2001-2002
44%
2001-2002
64%
1999-2000
64%
1999-2000
38%
1998
50%
1997
33%
1996
30%
1995
33%
1994
0%
2001-2002
0%
2001-2002
0%
2001
0%
1999-2000
0%
1999-2000
0%
1999
0%
1997-1998
0%
1997-1998
0%
1995-1996
0%
1995-1996
88%
2003-2004
88%
2003-2004
95%
1997
85%
1996
9%
2003-2004
0%
2001-2002
14%
1999-2000
0%
2004
0%
2004
0%
2003
0%
2003
0%
2002
0%
2002
0%
2001
0%
2001
20%
2000
20%
2000
27%
1999
27%
1999
0%
1998
0%
1998
0%
1997
0%
1997
0%
1996
0%
1996
8%
1995
8%
1995
100%
2003
0
2001-2002
33%
2001-2002
33%
2001-2002
0%
2000
0%
1999
33%
1998
0%
1997
0%
1996
100%
2003
70%
2004
92%
2003
100%
2002
100%
1999-2000
100%
1997-1998
89%
1997
100%
1995-1996
100%
2003-2004
100%
2003
93%
2001-2002
92%
2000
75%
1997-1998
75%
1995-1996
0%
2005
100%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
0%
2003
0%
2003
0%
2001-2002
0%
2001-2002
0%
2001
0%
1999-2000
0%
1999-2000
0%
1999
0%
1997-1998
0%
1997-1998
0%
1995-1996
0%
1995-1996
0%
2001
97%
2003-2004
95%
2003
95%
2003
95%
2001-2002
95%
2001-2002
96%
1999-2000
96%
1999-2000
92%
2004
92%
2003
92%
2003
100%
2002
100%
2002
100%
1999-2000
100%
1999-2000
100%
1997-1998
100%
1997-1998
89%
1997
89%
1997
100%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
42%
2005
42%
2005
66%
2005
90%
2005
90%
2005
60%
2004
60%
2004
90
2003
90
2003
90
2003
90
2003
90
2003
90
2003
89
2002
89
2002
89
2002
89
2002
89
2002
89
2002
75%
2001
75%
2001
86%
2000
86%
2000
48%
2006
33%
2005
33%
2005
71%
2004
25%
2004
71%
2004
25%
2004
50%
2003
50%
2003
50%
2002
50%
2002
83%
2001
83%
2001
72%
2000
72%
2000
75%
1999
75%
1999
63%
1998
63%
1998
67%
1997
67%
1997
64%
1995-1996
64%
1995-1996
64%
1995-1996
64%
1995-1996
0%
2005-2006
17%
2005-2006
17%
2005-2006
17%
2005-2006
17%
2005-2006
40%
2005-2006
40%
2005-2006
0%
2001-2002
100%
1995-1996
100%
1995-1996
85%
2004
90%
2003
95%
2002
100%
2001
75%
2000
90%
1999
75%
1998
76%
2005
76%
2005
73%
2003-2004
73%
2003-2004
85%
2001-2002
85%
2001-2002
97%
2001-2002
85%
1999-2000
97%
1997-1998
98%
1995-1996
63%
2004
65%
2003
61%
2002
68%
2001
67%
1999
64%
1998
60%
1997
88%
1995
64%
2006
64%
2006
100%
2002
20%
2003
20%
2003
14%
2001-2002
14%
2001-2002
13%
1999-2000
13%
1999-2000
21%
1997-1998
21%
1997-1998
36%
1997
36%
1997
23%
1995-1996
23%
1995-1996
80%
2001-2002
80%
2001-2002
0%
2002
33%
2001-2002
33%
2001-2002
0%
2000
0%
1999
33%
1998
0%
1997
0%
1996
33%
2003-2004
50%
2003
40%
2003
38%
2003-2004
55%
2001
40%
1997-1998
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