James L. Mills, a Warren County financial services executive, is running as the Libertarian candidate for Ohio lieutenant governor in the Nov. 3 general election. Mills is running alongside gubernatorial candidate Don Kissick.
Mills said in a questionnaire response to Surround Sound News that he entered politics because he "got tired of picking my poison, so I decided I wanted to be part of the antidote." He said Ohioans deserve leadership that puts people ahead of parties.
Candidate information
- Office sought: Ohio Lieutenant Governor
- Party: Libertarian
- Running mate: Don Kissick (governor)
- Education: Bachelor's degree in political science and economics with a minor in Spanish, University of Cincinnati; Master of Business Administration, Xavier University; Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC) designation
- Family: Married with two children. Grew up in Cincinnati as one of five children, including two sets of twins.
- Occupation: CEO and co-founder of Ironvest Financial Partners, a financial planning firm
- Political roles: Vice chair and field development director, Libertarian Party of Ohio; chair, Warren County Libertarian Party
Experience and public service
Mills said his career has spanned financial services roles at Nationwide, Western & Southern, PNC and Brokerage Solutions. He said he works with individuals, families and businesses on financial planning, retirement and employee-benefit strategies.
Earlier in his career, Mills served through AmeriCorps, helping develop programs for a homeless shelter. That experience stuck with him. He said it shaped how he views service and the challenges facing people who are struggling financially.
Mills said he has not served in the legislature. He pointed to building and leading a financial services business as evidence he can handle the job, citing experience managing teams, developing partnerships and making decisions with consequences for families and businesses.
On the issues
Property taxes: Mills said the ticket's goal is to eliminate property taxes on owner-occupied homes and family farms without defunding schools, police or fire departments. He said they would begin with roughly a 25% reduction and continue phasing taxes out as replacement funding is identified. He said the state should conduct a comprehensive review of Lottery education dollars, the General Revenue Fund, corporate subsidies and administrative spending to identify inefficiencies and redirect resources toward classrooms and local communities.
Government transparency: Mills said he supports a publicly searchable database showing state contracts, lobbying activity, major expenditures, incentives and meetings involving public officials. He said he would strengthen Ohio's Sunshine Laws, limit the use of nondisclosure agreements in public business and require meaningful disclosure of conflicts of interest. He cited the House Bill 6 bribery scandal as an example of what happens when government decisions operate behind closed doors.
Role of lieutenant governor: Mills said he and Kissick see the position as an active partnership, not a ceremonial one. He said his responsibilities would focus on small-business growth, economic development, government transparency and connecting the administration with communities across Ohio.
Small business and economy: Mills said he would work with entrepreneurs, chambers of commerce, local governments and economic-development organizations to reduce barriers to starting and growing businesses. He said he would strengthen local business ecosystems and ensure economic-development incentives produce measurable benefits for taxpayers.
Ethics: Mills said Ohio needs stronger enforcement and consequences when officials violate public trust. He said he would increase transparency around political spending and organizations attempting to influence state policy.
Dublin-area voters can check registration status and find polling information through the Franklin, Delaware or Union County boards of elections.
