Ohio state Sen. John Boccieri (D) is getting a little help from House Democratic leaders this month in his race for an open House seat.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (Ill.) will pay separate visits to Cleveland to raise money for Boccieri, who is running south of the city in the 16th district.

Boccieri faces fellow state Sen. Kirk Schuring (R) for the north-central Ohio district, currently represented by retiring Rep. Ralph Regula (R).

Pelosi will headline a lunchtime reception on Oct. 14 at the Union Club of Cleveland, according to a copy of the invitation obtained by Roll Call. Ticket costs range from $125 to $250 and $1,000 to $2,300 for VIP tickets.

Emanuel will host an evening reception for Boccieri on Monday at Johnny’s Downtown in Cleveland. Tickets cost $125 to $2,300.

It’s not surprising that Democratic leadership is looking to give Boccieri an extra hand for his fundraising. President Bush won the district with 54 percent in 2004, but Democratic statewide candidates swept the area in the 2006 cycle.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee officials recruited Boccieri to run for the seat in the district that they believe they can snag from Republican hands this cycle. As of Monday, the DCCC’s independent-expenditure group had put more funds into the 16th district than any other Congressional race in the cycle.