Libertarian Has Biggest War Chest in Ohio State House Race

Voters have never elected a Libertarian to the Ohio legislature, but Chad Monnin hopes to change that come November.

Monnin, running for the district 19 seat, reported having more than $72,000 in cash on hand at the end of the most recent reporting period.  That puts him well ahead of the $51,000 that Republican incumbent Anne Gonzales has amassed.  A third candidate, Democrat Michael Johnston, has raised less than $3,000.

Admittedly, most of Monnin’s money comes from his own pocket. But he is spending it aggressively, paying several full time campaign staffers and having already poured thousands of dollars into printing campaign signs and materials.

Monnin seems like an ideal candidate.  Married with 3 children, he is a life-long Ohioan who spent 13 years in the U.S. Army before he was honorably discharged after sustaining an injury during a parachute jump.  He’s also a successful entrepreneur, who after leaving the military, helped co-found Mission Essential Personnel.  MEP is a specialized staffing company that’s core business involved supplying specialized translators to Western interests in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The success of that company, which Monnin left day-to-day management of in 2009, is allowing him to largely self-finance his campaign for the state house.

“My father was a Vietnam veteran who retired from General Motors,” Monnin writes of his background. “We were all Democrats, but my grandmother always taught me to vote for the candidate that would do the best job, never for the party. It’s because I don’t see people in either party with the willingness to confront the truly important issues that I decided to stand up and fight for our future.”

The race for the District 19 seat in the Ohio State House is one many Libertarians will want to keep their eyes on this cycle.  To learn more about Monnin’s campaign, visit ChadForOhio.com.