Schmidt, Chabot, DeWine meeting Bush at airport

President Bush will be in Ohio tomorrow to headline a campaign fundraiser with Sen. Mike DeWine of Cedarville. The event is being held at a private home in Indian Hill. Be sure to check out Thursday's Enquirer for more details about the event and the significance of Bush's visit.

In the meantime, here are some things we found out about the event...

DeWine and Republican Reps. Steve Chabot and Jean Schmidt are all planning to meet President Bush at the Greater Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport and ride with the president’s motorcade to the Indian Hill home where the fundraiser is being held, according to White House spokesman Allen Abney.

Abney couldn't say, however, whether the lawmakers would ride in the same car as the president, or in another car that is a part of the motorcade.

As we reported earlier, the fundraiser costs between $4,200 and $10,000 to attend. But neither Schmidt nor Chabot were required to purchase a ticket to the event, DeWine campaign spokesman Brian Seitchik said. In other words, they were invited by the senator to attend free of charge.

Still, Schmidt, whose southern Ohio district includes Indian Hill, planned to donate $2,100 from her campaign fund to DeWine’s re-election, which comes on top of $2,100 she’s already given the senator.

Chabot wasn’t planning to pay to attend the fundraiser, his office said.

Rep. Geoff Davis, a Republican from Hebron, Ky., also doesn’t plan to meet the president at the airport, which is in his district, or attend the fundraiser.

"Congressman Davis was not contacted by the White House or invited to participate," spokesman Justin Brasell said. "It’s an event in Ohio, why would we go?"

Meanwhile, House Majority Leader John Boehner of West Chester and Republican Sens. George Voinovich of Cleveland and Jim Bunning of Southgate, Ky., won’t be in the area and don’t plan to attend DeWine’s event, their offices said. Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Louisville also is not attending DeWine's event, his office said.

In case you are wondering, former Rep. Bob McEwen, who is challenging Schmidt in the GOP primary May 2, had considered attending the fundraiser but decided instead to keep his previously scheduled commitments, spokesman Michael Harlow said.

While DeWine, Chabot and Schmidt rub elbows with the chief executive, Harlow will be chatting up would-be voters at a Blue Chip Young Republicans’ happy hour in Mt. Adams while McEwen hits the Sharonville Republican Club’s monthly meeting and a Clermont 20/20 event.

*Note schedule correction: Harlow will be attending BCYR event, not McEwen.*

(Photo, courtesy of the White House, shows Bush congratulating DeWine after signing in 2003 the senator's bill to require drugs to be tested for children.)