Austria calls Neuhardt desperate, criticizes outside support

The campaign of state Sen. Steve Austria (R-Beavercreek) is saying that opponent attorney Sharen Neuhardt (D-Yellow Springs) has become desperate in her campaign to replace retiring U.S. Rep. David Hobson (R-Springfield) in Ohio's 7th Congressional District, after advancing her own campaign $110,000.

Austria said the advance brings the amount of money Neuhardt has personally spent on her campaign, including her in-kind donations, to over $125,000.

"My opponent's extremely liberal views do not mix well with the families of this district, which is why she has not received much support from local residents," Austria said. "Instead, she has put in $110,000 of her own money coupled with another approximately $130,000 from her own law firm."

The Austria camp points to Neuhardt having received what they call a significant amount of money from outside of the district.

Austria said this includes donations from embattled U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), "who is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee for failure to pay back taxes and misusing official Congressional resources for the purposes of fundraising."

"In addition to her own personal contributions, she's received money from Rep. Barney Frank, Senator Hillary Clinton, Rep. Charles Rangel, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the ultra-liberal interest groups from San Francisco who appear to be trying to buy this race," Austria said. "I believe the voters of the 7th Congressional District are smarter than that and will not let this happen."