Denise Driehaus (born January 23, 1963) is an American Democratic politician currently serving as a Hamilton County Commissioner. She formerly served in the

Ohio House of Representatives The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate. The House of Representatives first met in ...

from 2009 to 2016.

Life and career

Driehaus was raised in Green Township by H. Donald "Don" Driehaus and his wife Clare along with her seven siblings. Her seat in the Ohio House of Representatives was previously represented by her brother

Steve Driehaus Steven Leo Driehaus (born June 24, 1966) is an American politician and former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the Minority Whip in the Ohio House of Representat ...

. After graduation from

Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the 10 ...

, Driehaus went on to own Philipps Swim Club and the Front Porch Coffeehouse in West Price Hill. She also formerly served on the Hamilton County Democratic Executive Committee, and was influential in electing Cincinnati politicians like Todd Portune, David Crowley, Dwight Tillery and

John Cranley John Joseph Cranley (born February 28, 1974) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 69th Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 2013 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, he was a member of the Cincinnati City Council and a partner o ...

. Driehaus and her family reside in

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

Ohio House of Representatives

With her term-limited brother, Representative

, running for Congress, Driehaus sought to succeed him in 2008. With no primary opposition, she faced Republican Steve Johnson in the general election, and won with 67% of the vote. In her 2010 reelection bid, Driehaus' seat was looked at as a potential pick-up by Republicans. Once again unopposed in the primary, she went on to run against Republican Mike Robinson in the general election. However, she managed to keep her seat, winning this time 54% to 46%. Driehaus has become vocal in regards to a plan to scrap portions of the education reform of former Ohio Governor

Ted Strickland Theodore Strickland (born August 4, 1941) is an American politician who was the 68th governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ...

, as well as the current education funding formulas of

John Kasich John Richard Kasich Jr. ( ; born May 13, 1952) is an American politician, author, and television news host who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 2001 and as the 69th governor of Ohio from 2011 to 2019. A Republican, Kasic ...

. In 2012, Driehaus won a third term with 71.10% of the vote over Republican Michael Gabbard. She won a fourth term in 2014 with 65% of the vote.

Committee assignments

* Committee on Finance & Appropriations (Ranking Democrat) * Committee on Economic & Workforce Development * Committee on Ways & Means

Hamilton County Commissioner

In 2016, Driehaus was elected as Hamilton County Commissioner, replacing her opponent Dennis Deters. Her term in office began January 3, 2017. Driehaus was re-elected to serve a second term as Hamilton County Commissioner in 2020.

Electoral history

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Driehaus, Denise Living people Democratic Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives Women state legislators in Ohio 1967 births Politicians from Cincinnati Miami University alumni 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians