James Mills, a Cincinnati native and financial planning firm CEO, is running for Ohio lieutenant governor on the Libertarian ticket alongside gubernatorial candidate Don Kissick in the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

Mills said he entered politics because he grew tired of the two-party system. "I got tired of picking my poison, so I decided I wanted to be part of the antidote," Mills said in a candidate questionnaire. He said he wants government to be more transparent, accountable and focused on the people it serves.

Candidate information

  • Office sought: Ohio Lieutenant Governor
  • Party: Libertarian
  • Running mate: Don Kissick
  • Residence: Warren County, Ohio
  • Family: Married, father of two; grew up in Cincinnati as one of five children, including two sets of twins
  • 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)

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. His financial services career includes roles at Nationwide, Western & Southern, PNC and Brokerage Solutions.

Earlier in his career, Mills served through AmeriCorps, helping develop programs for a homeless shelter. Mills said that experience shaped 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 and Kissick support completely eliminating property taxes on owner-occupied homes and family farms. Mills said the ticket would begin with roughly a 25% reduction and continue phasing taxes out as replacement funding is identified. He said the ticket supports a ballot amendment to end property taxes and would prefer local consumption-based taxes as a replacement. Mills said before telling homeowners Ohio cannot afford relief, the state should "open the books, identify waste and unnecessary spending, and make funding schools and essential local services the priority."

Government transparency and ethics: Mills said he supports creating a publicly searchable database showing 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 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 responsibilities would focus on small-business growth, economic 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 local 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. He said they want to foster a more collaborative small-business ecosystem with incubators, venture capital studios and chambers of commerce.

Individual liberty: Mills said the ticket opposes warrantless mass surveillance and supports protecting due process. On immigration, Mills said due process applies to everyone and that immigration enforcement should be civil, not militarized. The ticket supports a proposed constitutional amendment, still in the petition stage, that would protect same-sex marriage in Ohio.