James L. Mills, a financial services executive and Libertarian Party leader from Warren County, is running for Ohio lieutenant governor on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. 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 he wants government that is more transparent, accountable and focused on the people it serves.
Candidate information
- Party: Libertarian
- Office sought: Ohio Lieutenant Governor
- Running mate: Don Kissick
- Residence: Warren County, Ohio
- Education: MBA, Xavier University; bachelor's in political science and economics with a minor in Spanish, University of Cincinnati
- Professional designation: Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC)
- Occupation: CEO and co-founder, Ironvest Financial Partners
- Family: Married with two children; grew up in Cincinnati as one of five children
Experience and public service
Mills told Surround Sound News he has spent most of his career in financial services, including roles at Nationwide, Western & Southern, PNC and Brokerage Solutions. He co-founded Ironvest Financial Partners, where 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. He called that experience formative in shaping how he views service and the challenges facing people struggling financially.
Within the Libertarian Party of Ohio, Mills has served as vice chair and field development director. He currently chairs the Warren County Libertarian Party.
On the issues
Property taxes: Mills said his ticket's goal is to eliminate property taxes on owner-occupied homes and family farms. He said they would begin with roughly a 25% reduction and continue phasing taxes out as replacement funding is identified. He supports a comprehensive review of state education spending, Lottery education dollars and corporate subsidies to find inefficiencies.
Government transparency and ethics: Mills said he supports creating a publicly searchable database of state contracts, lobbying activity, major expenditures and meetings involving public officials. He said he would strengthen Ohio's Sunshine Laws, limit the use of nondisclosure agreements in public business and ban legislators from becoming lobbyists for five years after leaving office. He referenced the House Bill 6 bribery scandal as evidence of what happens when government operates behind closed doors.
Small business and economy: According to the Kissick/Mills campaign platform, the ticket would simplify licensing and regulation for gig workers, tradespeople and in-home childcare providers. Mills said he would work to reduce barriers for entrepreneurs and build a more collaborative small-business ecosystem with incubators and venture capital studios. The campaign platform also calls for local consumption-based taxes to replace property taxes.
Role of lieutenant governor: Mills said he and Kissick view the position as an active partnership, not a ceremonial role. He said his responsibilities would focus on small-business growth, government transparency and connecting the administration with communities across Ohio. He said voters should judge his success by measurable results, including fewer barriers for small businesses, greater transparency in state spending and stronger locally driven economic development.
Immigration: The Kissick/Mills campaign platform states that due process applies to everyone and that immigration enforcement should be civil, not militarized. The platform supports a lawful path to citizenship for those in the country illegally, with violations handled through escalating fines rather than indefinite detention. Deportation would only be considered after repeated, proven noncompliance, according to the platform.
The general election is Nov. 3.
