CQ's latest take on our races

Congressional Quarterly, the respected Washington magazine, puts both the 1st and 2nd Congressional districts in the "leans Republican category."

Their take in this week's issue:

OHIO 1 -- Steve Chabot, R
2006: Chabot 52%, John Cranley (D) 48%

The "Battle of the Steves" has been quiet recently, as it's been clear for a year that state Rep. Steve Driehaus would be the Democratic nominee against Chabot, who's seeking an eighth term in a politically competitive district that takes in most of Cincinnati. Democrats point to Driehaus' political base in the district's more Republican-leaning suburbs, though Chabot showed resilience and strong political skills two years ago in overcoming a determined Democratic challenger in a terrible election year for Republicans. The incumbent began April with $1.1 million in the bank, twice the cash reserve of the challenger.

OHIO 2 -- Jean Schmidt, R
2006: Schmidt 50%, Victoria Wulsin (D) 49%

Wulsin, a physician, is taking another shot at Schmidt, who won her first full term in 2006 by only 2,500 votes in an overwhelmingly Republican district in and east of Cincinnati. Schmidt took only 57 percent in the March primary against state Rep. Tom Brinkman, the latest evidence that many Republicans simply don't like the person they sent to Congress in 2005 to replace Rob Portman. Still, Wulsin is challenged by GOP criticism that she is too liberal to represent the district