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 alongside gubernatorial candidate Don Kissick.
Mills said he entered politics because he grew frustrated with the two major parties. "I got tired of picking my poison, so I decided I wanted to be part of the antidote," Mills said in a questionnaire submitted to this outlet.
Candidate information
- Office sought: Ohio Lieutenant Governor
- Party: Libertarian
- Running mate: Don Kissick
- Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
- Residence: Warren County, Ohio
- Education: MBA, Xavier University; bachelor's degree 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, two children
Experience and public service
Mills has spent most of his career in financial services. He has held roles at Nationwide, Western & Southern, PNC and Brokerage Solutions before co-founding Ironvest Financial Partners, where he works with individuals, families and businesses on financial planning, retirement and employee-benefit strategies.
Mills has never held elected office. Earlier in his career, he served as an AmeriCorps member, helping develop programs for a homeless shelter.
In the Libertarian Party of Ohio, Mills has served as vice chair and field development director. He currently chairs the Warren County Libertarian Party.
Mills said he would focus the lieutenant governor role on small-business growth, economic development, government transparency and connecting the administration with communities across Ohio. He said voters should judge his success by fewer barriers for small businesses, more transparent state spending and "whether communities across Ohio believe they have meaningful access to their state government."
On the issues
Property taxes: Mills said in the questionnaire that the Kissick-Mills ticket supports eliminating 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. Mills said the state should conduct a comprehensive review of Lottery education dollars, the General Revenue Fund, corporate subsidies and administrative spending to identify inefficiencies. He said Ohio should open its books and redirect resources toward classrooms and local services before telling homeowners the state cannot afford relief.
Government transparency and ethics: Mills cited the House Bill 6 bribery scandal as evidence of what happens when government operates behind closed doors. He 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 nondisclosure agreements in public business, require meaningful disclosure of conflicts of interest and increase transparency around political spending. Mills said Ohio needs stronger enforcement and consequences when officials violate public trust.
What sets the ticket apart: Mills said the biggest difference between his ticket and others is that he and Kissick are not approaching government through a Republican or Democratic lens. He described himself as a business owner and financial professional, not a career politician, who evaluates problems through outcomes, costs and results. The ticket also opposes warrantless mass surveillance and supports protecting due process.
Education: Mills said the ticket would lower education costs by eliminating unnecessary compliance programs and administrative mandates that he said consume teachers' time and taxpayer dollars without improving student outcomes.
Best advice: Mills said the best advice he ever received was, "You can't learn to love thy neighbor without first stepping out to meet them." He said good leadership starts with listening to people with different experiences.
