Warren County financial services executive James L. Mills is running for Ohio lieutenant governor on the Libertarian ticket with gubernatorial candidate Don Kissick.
"I got involved in politics because 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 Surround Sound News. He said Ohioans deserve leadership that puts people ahead of parties.
Candidate information
- Office sought: Ohio Lieutenant Governor
- Party: Libertarian
- Running mate: Don Kissick
- Election date: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
- Residence: Warren County, Ohio
- Education: MBA, Xavier University; Bachelor of Arts in political science and economics with a minor in Spanish, University of Cincinnati
- Professional designation: Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC)
- Family: Married, two children; grew up in Cincinnati as one of five 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 profile. His career in financial services has included roles at Nationwide, Western & Southern, PNC and Brokerage Solutions.
Mills has never held elected office. Earlier in his career, he served as an AmeriCorps member, helping develop programs for a homeless shelter. He said that experience had a lasting impact on how he views service and the challenges facing people who are struggling financially.
In Libertarian Party politics, Mills has served as Vice Chair and Field Development Director for the Libertarian Party of Ohio. He currently serves as Chair of the Warren County Libertarian Party.
On the issues
Property taxes: Mills said the ticket's goal is to completely 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 percent reduction and continue phasing them out as replacement funding is identified. He called for a comprehensive review of Lottery education dollars and the broader state education budget to identify inefficiencies. The ticket supports a property tax amendment on the ballot and would prefer local consumption-based taxes as a replacement, according to the campaign's policy platform.
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. The ticket also wants to ban legislators from becoming lobbyists for five years after leaving office.
Role of lieutenant governor: Mills said he and Kissick see the lieutenant governor as an active partner, not a ceremonial position. His primary responsibilities would focus on small-business growth, economic and community development, government transparency and connecting the administration with communities across Ohio. He said voters should judge his success by measurable results: fewer barriers for small businesses, greater transparency in state spending and stronger locally driven economic development.
Small business and economy: Mills said the ticket wants to simplify licensing and regulation for small businesses, gig workers, tradespeople and in-home childcare providers. The campaign platform calls for creating a more collaborative small-business ecosystem with incubators, venture capital studios and chambers of commerce.
Immigration: Mills said due process applies to everyone and that immigration enforcement should be civil, not militarized. The campaign platform calls for a straightforward path to citizenship for those in the country illegally, with violations handled as infractions carrying escalating fines rather than indefinite detention.
More information about the Kissick-Mills ticket is available at donkissick.com.
