Attorney Sharen Neuhardt (D-Yellow Springs) and Ohio Physical Therapists Association Director Nancy Garland (D-New Albany) campaigned with U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) at a former Big Bear supermarket in Whitehall Tuesday morning.

The event was pitched as the Democratic women joining together to commit to rebuilding Ohio's economy.

Neuhardt is running against state Sen. Steve Austria (R-Beavercreek) to replace retiring U.S. Rep. David Hobson (R-Springfield) in Ohio's 7th Congressional District, while Garland is challenging state Rep. Jim McGregor (R-Gahanna) for Ohio's 20th state House seat. 

"Our nation's economic crisis is a perfect example of why Washington needs new leadership," said Neuhardt. "Democratic leaders, at all levels of government, must commit to working together to rebuild Ohio and the nation, after years of Republican indifference and incompetence have brought us to the brink of economic disaster."

Neuhardt, Wasserman Schultz, and Garland pledged to work together and restore the nation's crumbling economy in light of the nearly 1,100 factories and companies in Ohio that have shut down over the past 8 years.

Democrats are tying Ohio's struggling economy to the policies of the Bush administration in a new advertising push.

The Neuhardt campaign noted that the Central Ohio region ranks second in the state for shut downs and jobs lost. They went on to say that Franklin County has lost nearly 19,000 jobs in the last eight years and has suffered almost 170 shut downs.

"When I'm elected to Congress, I will work together with members like Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz in Washington and Nancy Garland here in Ohio to rebuild our state and the nation so we avoid the mass lay-offs, factory and business shut downs, and unemployment we suffer with today," Neuhardt said.

"We have serious goals in Ohio, and we need diligent leaders at all levels of government working to ensure we reach our goals," said Garland. "I'm bullish on Ohio and want to be there - alongside women like Sharen and Congresswoman Wasserman-Schultz - to help lead it into a bright and promising future."

The Neuhardt campaign noted that Big Bear Supermarket was one of the nearly 170 Franklin County companies that "suffered and ultimately closed in Ohio due to a crumbling economy."

The supermarket chain was bought by Penn Traffic in 2004 after store conditions and sales continued to decline.

The Ohio Democratic Party recently released a report highlighting the effects of the last eight years on Ohio's economy. The report said more than 180,000 Ohioans have lost their jobs and nearly 1,100 factories and companies have closed because of failed Republican policies in Washington.