Hamilton Co. Clerk Pureval Wants To Challenge Chabot For Congress

Thursday, February 1, 2018 at 6:27 AM

By Mike Perleberg Aftab Pureval. Photo via aftabpureval, Instagram. (Cincinnati, Oh.) - Southwest Ohio Congressman Steve Chabot will have three challengers as he seeks re-election in 2018. Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval announced Wednesday he is running for the Democratic nomination in Ohio’s First Congressional District. “In Congress, I am going to fight the rigged economic system and stand up for working families. I will protect access to health care. I will champion women’s rights and be a voice for all those marginalized by this administration. And most importantly, I will always be accountable to the people I serve,” Pureval said in a news release. During a press conference announcing his run, Pureval accused Chabot of being afraid to face his constituents, as well as being a rubber stamp for President Donald Trump. The 35-year-old University of Cincinnati graduate also called his rumored bid for Congress the worst kept secret in Cincinnati. Pureval was a surprise winner in the 2016 race for Hamilton County Clerk of Courts, an office long held by Republicans. Chabot won re-election in the first district in 2016 by 18 percentage points Two other Democrats have also filed for the May primary election. They are rabbi Robert Barr and dentist Laura Ann Weaver.