Steve Austria
An Ohio Republican who served a concise but undefeated tenure in Congress, stepping away from politics on his own terms.
Born 1958 (age 68)·American politician·Birthday: October 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Steve Austria carved a path in Ohio politics defined by steady, local service before his leap to the national stage. A Republican from Beavercreek, he built a foundation in the state legislature, cultivating a reputation as a pragmatic and accessible representative. In 2008, he successfully ran for the U.S. House, taking over Ohio's 7th district. His two terms in Washington were shaped by the tumultuous politics of the Great Recession and the rise of the Tea Party. Austria positioned himself as a fiscal conservative, but his time in Congress was notably brief. In a move that surprised some observers, he announced in late 2011 that he would not seek re-election, voluntarily concluding a 14-year electoral career with a perfect record—he never lost a race. His departure reflected a personal choice in an increasingly polarized environment.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Steve was born in 1958, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Steve Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Steve's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Could drive
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 50
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 60
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 68 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the U.S. Representative for Ohio's 7th congressional district from 2009 to 2013.
- Maintained an undefeated record across 14 years in elected office, including service in the Ohio Senate.
- Served on the House Appropriations Committee, influencing federal spending decisions during his tenure.
Did You Know?
He is of Filipino and Austrian descent, which inspired his surname 'Austria'.
Before politics, he worked as a financial consultant and served on the Beavercreek City Council.
His decision not to seek re-election in 2012 came after congressional redistricting significantly altered his district.
“My job is to listen to the people of Ohio and take their concerns to Washington.”
