Editor's Note: In the final 100 days before Election Day, CNN has been profiling one race at random each day from among the nation's top 100 House races, which we've dubbed "The CNN 100." Read the full list here . Today's featured district is:
OH 01: Rep. Steve Driehaus (D) defends his seat from former Rep. Steve Chabot (R)
Primary: May 4, 2010
Location: Western Cincinnati
Days until the election: 20
The Cincinnati suburbs are not a great place to run as a Democrat in an anti-Democratic year. Democratic Rep. Steve Driehaus, who only wrestled this seat from the hands of former Republican Rep. Steve Chabot in 2008, may lose his seat to the man who held it only two years ago.
Complicating Driehaus' problem is not just that he supported his party on health care, but also that he was elected in large part due to very high African American turnout in his district with Barack Obama at the top of the ticket in 2008. Chabot will benefit from much lower voter enthusiasm levels this year, along with increased anti-incumbent fervor. He has focused on attacking Driehaus and the White House on the economy and taxes.
Driehaus, meanwhile, continues to paint Chabot as a conservative ideologue, and has vocally tied him to the Tea Party.
Still, both candidates have been neck-and-neck in the fundraising race – each showing over a million dollars raised at the end of June and close to a million dollars left to spend.
But all signs point to a Chabot (and a GOP) takeover come November 2.
Steve Driehaus has represented us well – I hope he wins re-election...he has earned my vote.
Another minion on his way out. So long sucker!
Republicans can only win when people don't vote.