At the Harvard Faculty Club on Wednesday night, surrounded by over 75 friends and supporters at a fundraiser to support his campaign, John J. Cranley seemed to be on top of the world.

And with many key endorsements secured, a steady flow of funds and a Democratic nomination for Congress in his hands, Cranley has a right to be.

Not bad for a 26 year old.

The current Harvard Divinity School student and 1999 Harvard Law School graduate is poised to take on incumbent Republican Steve Chabot in November's race for Ohio's first Congressional district.

And while pundits say Cranley is unlikely to win, he is inspiring support around Harvard and beyond.

Cranley is probably best known to undergraduates for his work as a Teaching Fellow (TF). He was a TF for Moral Reasoning 22: "Justice" and History B-61: "The Warren Court" from the fall of 1998 to the fall of 1999.

Cranley's exuberance in the classroom was palpable, according to his former students, and his deep commitment to social justice was the driving force in his life.

He now promises that the same values will spearhead of his campaign.