Representative John Barrow, a Democrat from Georgia who voted against the bill, was embraced as a hero by white constituents. At the same event, distressed black voters assailed him, a problem in a district that is 44 percent African-American.
And Representative Anh Cao, a Louisiana Republican who opposed the bill, found a decidedly tepid reception in his district, where one-fifth of residents do not have health insurance.
Around the country this weekend, members of Congress found a bewildering crosscurrent of political forces awaiting them, on-the-ground evidence of how the issue has divided the country by party, race and region.
And for many it was not easy.
“I hope all of you know that I ended up voting against a lot of the things I believe in,” Mr. Barrow said.
THE REST:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/29/us/politics/29districts.html?ref=politics