James L. Mills, a Cincinnati-area financial services executive, is running for Ohio lieutenant governor on the Nov. 3 ballot with Don Kissick.
Mills, CEO and co-founder of Ironvest Financial Partners, said in a candidate questionnaire that 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 and solutions ahead of politics."
Candidate information
- Office sought: Ohio Lieutenant Governor
- Party: Libertarian
- Running mate: Don Kissick
- Residence: Cincinnati area
- Education: MBA from Xavier University; bachelor's degree in political science and economics with a minor in Spanish from the University of Cincinnati
- Professional designation: Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC)
- Family: Married with two children
Experience and public service
Mills is CEO and co-founder of Ironvest Financial Partners, where he works with individuals, families and businesses on financial planning, retirement and employee-benefit strategies, according to his Libertarian Party candidate page. His financial services career has included roles at Nationwide, Western & Southern, PNC and Brokerage Solutions.
He grew up in Cincinnati. Earlier in his career, Mills served as an AmeriCorps member, helping develop programs for a homeless shelter. He described that experience as having "a lasting impact on how I view service and the challenges facing people who are 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. He has been active in grassroots organizing and party development across the state.
On the issues
Mills provided the following positions in his candidate questionnaire responses.
Property taxes and education funding: The Kissick-Mills ticket supports completely eliminating property taxes on owner-occupied homes and family farms. Mills said they would begin with roughly a 25% reduction and continue phasing them out as replacement funding is identified. He said the ticket favors local sales-based taxes as a replacement. Mills said a comprehensive review of Lottery education dollars, the General Revenue Fund, corporate subsidies and administrative spending would identify inefficiencies. He said the goal is to redirect resources toward classrooms and local communities without defunding schools, police or fire services.
Government transparency and ethics: Mills said he supports a publicly searchable database showing state contracts, lobbying activity, major expenditures and meetings involving public officials. He called for strengthening Ohio's Sunshine Laws, limiting the use of nondisclosure agreements in public business and banning legislators from becoming lobbyists for five years after leaving office. He referenced the House Bill 6 bribery scandal as evidence of what happens "when money, lobbying and government decisions operate behind closed doors."
Role of lieutenant governor: Mills said he and Kissick view the lieutenant governor as "an active partner, not a ceremonial position." 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: fewer unnecessary barriers for small businesses, greater transparency in state spending, stronger locally driven economic development …"
Small business and economy: The ticket wants to simplify licensing and regulation for small businesses, gig workers, tradespeople and in-home childcare providers. Mills said he would work with entrepreneurs, chambers of commerce and local governments to reduce barriers and strengthen local business ecosystems. The Kissick-Mills platform also calls for creating incubators, venture capital studios and other entrepreneurship hubs.
Immigration: Mills said due process applies to everyone and that immigration enforcement should be civil, not militarized. The ticket's position, according to its campaign platform, calls for a straightforward path to citizenship for those in the country illegally, with violations handled as infractions with escalating fines rather than indefinite detention.
