Welcome Steve Driehaus to the race for OH-01:

Republican Rep. Steve Chabot survived a serious Democratic challenge in the tough political environment of 2006, but it appears he will not get a break from tough competition in the next round. Democratic state Rep. Steve Driehaus, whose potential already is being touted by national party strategists, has taken official steps to organize his anticipated challenge to Chabot in the Cincinnati-based 1st District.

Driehaus, the minority whip in the Republican-controlled Ohio House, formally announced his candidacy Thursday, stating that he filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) that will allow him to begin formal fundraising efforts.

[..]

The 1st — which takes in about 80 percent of Cincinnati (which is shared with the 2nd District) and suburbs north and west of the city in Hamilton and Butler counties — has the characteristics of a swing district. Even as Chabot was prevailing in his 2006 election, 1st District voters narrowly favored Democrats Ted Strickland for governor and Sherrod Brown for senator; President Bush edged his 2004 Democratic challenger, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, by just 1 percentage point.

This is close to home for me. I am in OH-08, but right across the street (and I mean literally thanks to gerrymandering), lies OH-01. Once ActBlue adds Driehaus, I will be sure to get him on the IntoxiNation08 page.