Steve Chabot

Steven Joseph Chabot (/ˈʃæbət/ SHAB-ət; born January 22, 1953) is an American politician and lawyer who has been the United States Representative for Ohio's 1st congressional district since 2011. Chabot, a member of the Republican Party, previously represented the district from 1995 to 2009.

Steve Chabot
Ranking Member of the House Small Business Committee
In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Nydia Velázquez
Succeeded by	Blaine Luetkemeyer
Chair of the House Small Business Committee
In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	Sam Graves
Succeeded by	Nydia Velázquez
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio's 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Steve Driehaus
In office January 3, 1995 – January 3, 2009
Preceded by	David S. Mann
Succeeded by	Steve Driehaus
Personal details
Born	Steven Joseph Chabot January 22, 1953 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Donna Daly ​ (m. 1973)​
Children	2
Education	College of William & Mary (BA) Northern Kentucky University (JD)

Early life, education, and pre-political career

Chabot was born in 1953 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Gerard Joseph and Doris Leona (née Tilley) Chabot; paternally, he is of French-Canadian descent.[1] He graduated from La Salle High School in Cincinnati in 1971, and then from the College of William and Mary in 1975, earning a Bachelor of Arts in physical education. He went on to obtain a Juris Doctor degree from Northern Kentucky University Salmon P. Chase College of Law, in Highland Heights, Kentucky, in 1978. He worked as an elementary school teacher in 1975–1976 while taking law classes at night. Steve also remained very active in the community, teaching political science at the University of Cincinnati and chairing for the Boy Scouts of Cincinnati.[2]

As a practicing attorney from 1978 to 1994, Chabot handled domestic disputes and the drafting of wills as a sole practitioner.[3] He operated out of a small law office in Westwood.[4]

Early political career

Chabot ran unsuccessfully for the Cincinnati City Council as an independent candidate in 1979 and as a Republican in 1983. He won a seat in 1985 as a Republican and was re-elected for the next four years. Then, in 1988, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives against seven-term incumbent Democrat Tom Luken, who won against Chabot, 56–44%.[5] However, after that he was appointed a Commissioner of Hamilton County, Ohio, in 1990, and was elected later that year and again in 1992, staying in that office until 1994.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

In 1994, Chabot ran for the U.S. House again and defeated Democratic incumbent David S. Mann of Ohio's 1st congressional district, 56%–44%. In 1996, he defeated Democrat Mark Longabaugh, a member of the Cincinnati City Council, 54%–43%.[6] In 1998, he defeated Cincinnati Mayor Roxanne Qualls, 53% to 47%.[7] In the series of debates during that campaign, Qualls criticized Chabot for not funneling enough federal spending back to his home district. Chabot countered that he would not support "wasteful or unnecessary" federal programs.[8][9] In 2000, he defeated City Councilman and Harvard graduate John Cranley 53–44%.[10] In 2002, he defeated Greg Harris, with 65% of the vote.[10] In 2004, he defeated Greg Harris again, with 60% of the vote.[11]

2006

109th Congress portrait

Chabot defeated Democratic challenger John Cranley again, this time by a narrower margin of 52–48%.[12]

2008

He was defeated by State Representative Steve Driehaus 52%–48%.[13]

2010

In a rematch, Chabot defeated Democratic incumbent Steve Driehaus,[14][15] Libertarian Jim Berns, and Green Party nominee Richard Stevenson.[16] Chabot won by a margin of 51%–46%.[17][18]

2012

Steve Chabot defeated Democratic nominee Jeff Sinnard 58%–38%, with Green nominee Rich Stevenson, and Libertarian nominee Jim Berns picking up the balance.[19] He was helped by the 2010 round of redistricting, which shifted the majority of heavily Republican Warren County to the 1st Congressional District.[20]

Tenure

U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ed Royce, members Steve Chabot and Robin Kelly in 2017 celebrate legislation to help educate more girls

On December 18, 2019, Chabot voted against both articles of impeachment against Trump. Of the 195 Republicans who voted, all voted against both impeachment articles.

On January 7, 2021, Chabot objected to the certification of the 2020 US presidential election results in Congress based on spurious allegations of widespread voter fraud.[21]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific
  • Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia
• Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on the Constitution
  • Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition, and the Internet
• Committee on Small Business

Caucus memberships

• Congressional Taiwan Caucus (Co-Chair) [22]
• U.S.-Japan Caucus[23]
• House Baltic Caucus
• House Cambodia Caucus

Electoral history

Ohio's 1st congressional district: Results 1988, 1994–2018[24][25]

Year		Winner	Votes	Pct		Runner-up	Votes	Pct		3rd Party	Party	Votes	Pct		3rd Party	Party	Votes	Pct
1988		Thomas A. Luken (inc.)	117,682	57%		Steve Chabot	90,738	43%
1994		Steve Chabot	92,997	56%		David S. Mann (inc.)	72,822	44%
1996		Steve Chabot (inc.)	118,324	54%		Mark P. Longabaugh	94,719	43%		John G. Halley	Natural Law	5,381	2%
1998		Steve Chabot (inc.)	92,421	53%		Roxanne Qualls	82,003	47%
2000		Steve Chabot (inc.)	116,768	53%		John Cranley	98,328	45%		David A. Groshoff	Libertarian	3,399	2%		Richard L. Stevenson	Natural Law	1,933	1%
2002		Steve Chabot (inc.)	110,760	65%		Greg Harris	60,168	35%
2004		Steve Chabot (inc.)	173,430	60%		Greg Harris	116,235	40%											*
2006		Steve Chabot (inc.)	105,680	52%		John Cranley	96,584	48%
2008		Steve Driehaus	155,455	52%		Steve Chabot (inc.)	140,683	48%											*
2010		Steve Chabot	103,770	52%		Steven L. Driehaus (inc.)	92,672	45%		Jim A. Berns	Libertarian	3,076	2%		Richard L. Stevenson	Natural Law	2,000	1%
2012		Steve Chabot (inc.)	201,907	58%		Jeff Sinnard	131,490	38%		Jim A. Berns	Libertarian	9,674	3%		Richard L. Stevenson	Green Party	6,645	2%
2014		Steve Chabot (inc.)	124,779	63%		Fred Kundrata	72,604	37%
2016		Steve Chabot (inc.)	210,014	59%		Michele Young	144,644	41%
2018		Steve Chabot (inc.)	154,409	51%		Aftab Pureval	141,118	47%		Dirk Kubala	Libertarian	5,339	2%
2020		Steve Chabot (inc.)	199,560	52%		Kate Schroder	172,022	45%		Kevin Kahn	Libertarian	13,692	4%

*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 2004, Rich Stevenson received 198 votes. In 2008, Eric Wilson received 85 votes and Rich Stevenson received 67 votes. In 2020, Kiumars Kiani received 11 votes.

Political positions

As of January 2018, Chabot had voted with his party in 98.2% of votes in the 115th United States Congress and voted in line with President Trump's position in 94.9% of votes.[26][27]

Health care

Chabot authored a bill prohibiting a form of late-term abortion called partial-birth abortion, referred to in some medical literature by its less common name of intact dilation and extraction. President George W. Bush signed the bill into law on November 5, 2003.[28]

Chabot favors repealing the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). He favors market-based reforms that will offer American families more lower cost options.[29] He supported the March 2017 version of the American Health Care Act, the GOP's replacement bill for Obamacare.[30] On May 4, 2017, Chabot voted to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and pass the American Health Care Act.[31][32]

Environment

On the topic of man-made climate change, Chabot said "the evidence concerning man-made climate change is far from conclusive".[33] Chabot said cap-and-trade was an "extreme proposal" that would harm the economy.[33]

Other

In 1999, Chabot was one of the managers appointed to conduct the impeachment proceedings of President Bill Clinton.[34]

On August 22, 2011, Chabot asked Cincinnati police to confiscate cameras being used by private citizens to record a town-hall meeting, even as media television cameras recorded the incident.[35][36][37] YouTube videos of the incident provided wide awareness of the incident, and the participating police officer was later disciplined.[38]

In 2002, Chabot advocated teaching intelligent design alongside the theory of evolution by natural selection in Ohio high schools.[39]

Chabot has called for ending logging subsidies in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska,[40] and promoted relations with Taiwan.[41] In 2002, Chabot helped spearhead the local campaign against building a light rail system in Hamilton County.[42]

As of 2016, Chabot had traveled on congressional fact-finding missions to 46 countries at a cost of $200,000.[43]

Personal life

Chabot lives with his wife Donna in Westwood. The Chabots have two children and one grandson.[44]

References

1. "chabot". Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
2. "Steve Chabot About Steve". Steve Chabot Congress. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
3. Juliet Eilperin, "Like-Minded Team of 13 to Present House's Case", Washington Post, January 14, 1999
4. Paul Barton, "Chabot guaranteed place in textbooks", Cincinnati Enquirer, January 14, 1999
5. "OH District 1 Race – Nov 08, 1988". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
6. "OH District 1 Race – Nov 05, 1996". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
7. "OH District 1 Race – Nov 03, 1998". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
8. "Rep. Steve Chabot (R)". Almanac of American Politics. Archived from the original on May 16, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2006.
9. Wilkinson, Howard (October 28, 1998). "Chabot, Qualls debate pork vs. fair share". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
10. "OH District 1 Race – Nov 07, 2000". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
11. "OH District 1 Race – Nov 05, 2002". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
12. "OH – District 01 Race – Nov 07, 2006". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
13. "OH – District 01 Race – Nov 04, 2008". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
14. Zeleny, Jeff (July 3, 2010). "In Midterm Elections, a Rougher Road for Incumbent Democrats". The New York Times.
15. "Politics 2010: Parties play take-away, keep-away in Ohio". UPI.com. May 2, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
16. Official Hamilton County Candidates and Issues List Archived October 21, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Hamilton County Ohio Board of Elections
17. "2010 election results for Ohio". The New York Times. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
18. "OH – District 01 Race – Nov 02, 2010". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
19. "Ohio Secretary of State" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 18, 2012.
20. Exner, Rich (March 7, 2017). "How gerrymandered Ohio congressional districts limit the influence of Ohio voters". cleveland.com. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
21. Yourish, Karen; Buchanan, Larry; Lu, Denise (January 7, 2021). "The 147 Republicans Who Voted to Overturn Election Results". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 10, 2021.
22. "House & Senate Taiwan Caucus (2019-2020)". Formosan Association of Public Affiairs. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
23. "Members". U.S. - Japan Caucus. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
24. "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Retrieved January 10, 2008.
25. "2012 Elections Results - Ohio Secretary of State". Sos.state.oh.us. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
26. Bycoffe, Aaron (January 30, 2017). "Tracking Steve Chabot In The Age Of Trump". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
27. Willis, Derek. "Represent". ProPublica. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
28. "Steve Chabot – Legislative Issues". US House web site. 2008. Archived from the original on February 2, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
29. BieryGolick, Keith (February 1, 2017). "Crashing congressman's office over 'Obamacare' stance". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
30. "How House Republicans Planned to Vote on the Obamacare Replacement". The New York Times. March 20, 2017. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 5, 2017.
31. "How the House voted to pass the GOP health-care bill". Washington Post. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
32. "How every member voted on health care bill". CNN. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
33. "Climate change: 'We can debate this forever'". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
34. Chabot puts impeachment at center of his case for Judiciary post The Hill. 31 May 2018.
35. Wilkinson, Howard (September 2, 2011). "Chabot camera seizure irks right and left". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
36. Wilkinson, Howard "Democrats’ cameras seized by police at Chabot Town Hall meeting", Cincinnati.com, August 24, 2011
37. Kurt Nimmo, "Cops Confiscate Cameras at Ohio Congressman’s Town Hall", August 24, 2011
38. Wilkinson, Howard (September 20, 2011). "Officer who confiscated cameras at Chabot event gets "administrative insight"". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
39. Murray, Iaian (June 5, 2002). "Scientific Boehner: The new creationism and the congressmen who support it". The American Prospect. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
40. "Cut it out – Stop spending taxpayers' money to build roads for timber companies". The Columbus Dispatch – Editorial. May 16, 2006. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
41. Snyder, Charles (June 30, 2006). "US House adopts measure on Taiwan". Taipei Times. p. 1. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
42. Monk, Dan; Lucy May (May 11, 2001). "Missing the bus". Business Courier of Cincinnati. pp. 1, 12. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
43. "From Westwood to the World". Citybeat.com. October 26, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2018.
44. "About Steve | U.S. House of Representatives". Retrieved November 7, 2018.

External links

• Congressman Steve Chabot official U.S. House website
• Steve Chabot for Congress
• Steve Chabot at Curlie
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Steve Chabot at On the Issues