U.S. House, Ohio - 7th District
Central -- Springfield, Lancaster, part of Columbus
Race Forecast: Republican Favored
2008: Steve Austria (R) vs. Sharen Neuhardt (D)
2006: Rep.
A race in south-central Ohio that should have been a slam-dunk for Republicans has gotten somewhat competitive, with Democratic lawyer Sharen Neuhardt, a political newcomer, waging enough of a race against to Republican state Sen. Steve Austria to attract some notice for her longshot campaign. The Columbus Dispatch editorially endorsed Austria because of his state legislative experience; the Dayton Daily News gave its nod to Neuhardt, calling her “the better, bolder, more optimistic choice.”
Race Information
- Incumbent: Steve Austria, R
- First Elected: 2008 (1st term)
- Last Elected: (%)
- Incumbent Status: Running for re-election
- Race Forecast: Republican Favored
District Information
Politics in America District Profile
The Republican-leaning 7th, based south of Columbus, is a diverse swath of land across south-central Ohio that includes urban, suburban and rural areas.
The district’s two most-populous counties — Greene and Clark — form the western arm of the 7th. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, most of which is in Greene, is the largest single-site employer in Ohio. The base is the economic anchor of the county, which also has several colleges and universities. Clark and its county seat, Springfield, are home to auto manufacturing plants, distribution firms and technology companies. Nextedge, a new research and high-technology park, is in Springfield.
Residential growth around Columbus, a small part of which is in the 7th, has especially affected Fairfield County, which is a bedroom community filling up with white-collar commuters. Pickaway County has suffered from the loss of television manufacturing jobs, but expansion at the Rickenbacker International Airport, a major cargo hub in Franklin County just north of Pickaway’s northern border, should help offset economic losses. Fayette, the least-populous county wholly within the 7th, is a major horse-breeding area. Much of Perry County, the easternmost county in the 7th, relies on manufacturing and agriculture. Overall, the district supports corn, wheat and soybean production.
The 7th leans Republican, but the district is somewhat disparate. Clark and Perry counties are competitive, with both parties garnering support. Pickaway, traditionally Republican-leaning, has recently become more competitive. Fairfield, Fayette and Green counties are solidly Republican. George W. Bush captured 57 percent of the 7th’s 2004 presidential vote.
Major Industry
Manufacturing, military, technology research, agriculture
Military Bases
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 10,166 military, 10,332 civilian (2005) (shared with the 3rd District)
Cities
Springfield, 65,358; Columbus (pt.), 51,097; Beavercreek, 37,984; Lancaster, 35,335; Fairborn, 32,052
Notable
The modern combine, invented in Springfield, helped revolutionize harvesting and the agriculture industry.
- Demographics (2000 census)
- Population: 630,730
- Under 18: 25%
- Over 65: 12%
- Married: 57.1%
- Non-Hispanic White: 89%
- Black: 7%
- Hispanic: 1%
- Asian: 1%
- Foreign Born: 2.0%
- Language other than English: 4.1%
- Median Household Income: 43,248
- Owner Occupied Housing: 71%
- Income above $200k: 1.1
- Workforce/Education (2000 census)
- White Collar: 57.1%
- Blue Collar: 28.4%
- Services: 14.4%
- Bachelor's Degree: 19%
- Graduate Education: 6.9%
- Civilian Veterans: 71,900
| Year | Election | Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | general | Steve Austria (R) | 168,666 | 58.7% |
| Sharen Neuhardt (D) | 118,680 | 41.3% | ||
| 2006 | general | David Hobson (R) | 137,899 | 60.6% |
| William Conner (D) | 89,579 | 39.4% | ||
| 2004 | general | David Hobson (R) | 186,534 | 65% |
| Kara Anastasio (D) | 100,617 | 35% | ||
| 2002 | general | David Hobson (R) | 113,252 | 67.6% |
| Kara Anastasio (D) | 45,568 | 27.2% | ||
| Frank Doden (I) | 8,812 | 5.3% | ||
| Year | Democrat | Republican | Independent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | John Kerry: 42% | George W. Bush: 57% | |
| 2000 | Al Gore: 43% | George W. Bush: 57% |
Campaign Finance Details for the 2008 Race
| Filers | Through | Total Receipts | Total Disbursements | Total From PACs | Total From Individuals | Ending Cash | Debts Owed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CONNER, WILLIAM RUSSELL (D) | September 30, 2008 | $7,962.00 | $7,317.00 | $5,462.00 | $1,121.00 | $10,500.00 | |
| HOBSON, DAVID LEE (R) | September 30, 2008 | $548,190.00 | $528,382.00 | $7,960.00 | $258,793.00 | $770,112.00 | |
| SAKS, DANIEL (D) | March 7, 2007 | $4,059.00 | |||||
| AUSTRIA, STEVE C (R) | November 24, 2008 | $1,204,514.00 | $1,177,872.00 | $91,531.00 | $597,759.00 | $26,640.00 | |
| WOOLEVER, F DAVID (D) | September 30, 2008 | $10,024.00 | $9,979.00 | $1,450.00 | $43.00 | $23,300.00 | |
| NEUHARDT, SHAREN SWARTZ (D) | November 24, 2008 | $859,349.00 | $824,425.00 | $44,000.00 | $582,335.00 | $34,925.00 | $115,000.00 |
| HARKINS, DANIEL C (R) | March 18, 2008 | $63,910.00 | $63,909.00 | $61,585.00 | |||
| WYDERSKI, RICHARD J (D) | March 18, 2008 | $4,672.00 | $6,972.00 | $4,672.00 | |||
| HOOD, RONALD EDWARD (R) | June 7, 2008 | $170,720.00 | $170,718.00 | $151,720.00 | |||
