Sharen Neuhardt

State Sen. Steve Austria (R-Beavercreek) has laid claim to victory in the race for Ohio's 7th Congressional District to replace retiring U.S. Rep. David Hobson (R-Springfield).

Both CNN and MSNBC have projected Austria the winner.

Austria is running against attorney Sharen Neuhardt (D-Yellow Springs).

Austria issued a statement saying he was honored to be chosen by the voters of Ohio's 7th.

"I will work very hard to represent the residents of the District and the issues that are important to them," Austria said. "Having been in all eight counties, I have a better understanding of the needs of each community.

The candidates vying for Ohio's Congressional seats have released their public schedules for Election Day and night, and most candidates will be holed up for watch parties in various hotels, restaurants and ballrooms throughout the state.

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In Ohio's 1st Congressional District, state Rep. Steve Driehaus (D-Price Hill) is challenging U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Westwood).

Chabot planned to cast his ballot Tuesday morning at the Westwood Library. On election night he will be hosting a party at the downtown Hyatt.

Driehaus will be crisscrossing the district. His campaign planned on greeting voters as the polls open at Bond Hill Community, Zion Baptist Fellowship Hall and St. Teresa of Avila Church, before lunching at Price Hill Chili. Driehaus planned to continue visiting polling locations before joining supporters later in the evening at Sully's Restaurant Saloon.

The campaign of Sharen Neuhardt (D-Yellow Springs) is touting the endorsement of the National Federation of Business and Professional Women's Club heading into the final weekend of the campaign.

Neuhardt is running against state Sen. Steve Austria (R-Beavercreek) to replace retiring U.S. Rep. David Hobson (R-Springfield) in Ohio's 7th Congressional District.

The BPW/USA is a group committed to supporting equity for all women in the workplace.

Updated: A second ad from the campaign of attorney Sharen Neuhardt (D-Yellow Springs) has been pulled from online.

A Republican source told PolitickerOH.com that the ad was pulled because Huntington Bank, whose corporate logo was in the ad, called Ohio Democratic Party chair Chris Redfern threatening to press charges unless the ad was pulled.

The Ohio Democratic Party flatly denied the call.

A previous Neuhardt ad featuring Clark Country Sheriff Gene Kelly was taken down after Kelly requested his image be removed from the ad. The ad was later put back up with Kelly gone.

Neuhardt spokesperson Jessica Kershaw said the voters of Ohio's 7th District Congressional District are fed up with the lies that she said opponent state Sen. Steve Austria (R-Beavercreek) continues to cook up.

The campaign of attorney Sharen Neuhardt (D-Yellow Springs) is saying that opponent state Sen. Steve Austria (R-Beavercreek) has thrown family values out the door in the race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. David Hobson (R-Springfield).

The Nuehardt campaign is saying they've exposed Austria for taking thousands of dollars from a conservative PAC they call notorious for its annual fundraisers at Las Vegas strip clubs. 

"So much for family values, Steve Austria," said Neuhardt spokesperson Jessica Kershaw. "The voters of the 7th District deserve much better than someone who is willing to take thousands of dollars from a PAC that solicits money from professional gamblers. This is an act of desperation. You should be ashamed, Steve Austria." 

A radio ad playing during "The Rush Limbaugh Show" is tying 7th Congressional District candidate Sharen Neuhardt (D) to Barack Obama on abortion.

Made by National Right to Life's political action committee, the ad says Obama and Neuhardt "support abortion on demand for any reason."

Congressional candidate Steve Austria (R) and John McCain "voted to end partial-birth abortion." The ad asks people to vote for the "pro-life team" of McCain for president and Austria for Congress.

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 campaign of attorney Sharen Neuhardt (D-Yellow Springs) released a new TV ad that they say exposes opponent state Sen. Steve Austria (R-Beavercreek) for who he really is.

"Steve Austria is another career politician filling his campaign coffers with thousands of dollars from some of the very people who pushed our country into an economic crisis," said Neuhardt spokesperson Jessica Kershaw. "Austria's best friends are Big Oil and Big Money. He'll be no friend to the voters of this District."

The 30-second ad titled, "Bought and Paid For" highlights what the Neuhardt campaign calls the tens of thousands of dollars Austria has taken from big money special interests.

State Sen. Steve Austria (R-Beavercreek) rolled out an endorsement from the National Federation of Independent Business on Tuesday, saying he was pleased to have the support.

Austria pointed to his own background as a small businessman in announcing the endorsement.

The NFIB is a nonpartisan organization that represents small and independent businesses. The NFIB says their mission is "to promote and protect the right of its members to own, operate and grow their businesses."

The campaign of attorney Sharen Neuhardt (D-Yellow Springs) accused opponent state Sen. Steve Austria (R-Beavercreek) of selling out to special interests on Monday.

The two are vying to replace retiring U.S. Rep. David Hobson (R-Springfield) in Ohio's 7th Congressional District. 

The Neuhardt camp is saying Austria has taken more than a half million dollars in contributions from "big money special interests, including some of the world's largest health care, insurance, oil, and banking companies - the same people who are responsible for many of the most serious problems facing our country."