Gingrich shakes the money tree for Chabot

Steve Chabot is not exactly hurting for campaign cash, but there is always more to rake in. So the 1st District congressman is having his old boss, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, in for a fundraiser Wednesday.

Gingrich, of course, led the revolution that swept the Republicans into the majority in the 1994 congressional election; and Chabot was one of the GOP pick-ups that year - he took the 1st District seat from one-term Democrat David Mann.

The fun starts at 11:30 a.m. at the Hyatt Regency downtown with a $1,000-per-ticket private reception, followed by a $100-a-plate reception.

It will, no doubt, further swell the campaign account of Chabot, who, once again, will be targeted for defeat by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as he tries for an eighth term. Chabot had just a tad over $1 million in his campaign fund as of Feb. 13 - more than twice as much as his Democratic opponent, State Rep. Steve Driehaus, who reported $430,000 in the bank as of mid-February.