Ohio Libertarian Candidate For Congress Has GOP Worried

Ohio Libertarian Candidate For Congress Has GOP Worried
PoliticsUSBy: Rachel Blevins Jul 7, 2014 14
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The 19th District of Ohio’s House of Representatives is being shaken up this year by a Libertarian Candidate, who is running in what the Columbus Dispatch calls, “the most well-funded challenge an Ohio legislative incumbent has ever faced from a Libertarian.”

Chad Monnin is a businessman from New Albany, Ohio. He is a former Republican, running as a Libertarian, against Michael Johnston, a former Libertarian who is running as a Democrat, and Anne Gonzales, the incumbent Republican who has served two terms.

“I’m under no illusion. It’s going to be extremely difficult,” said Monnin, regarding running as a Libertarian. This race is his first attempt at running for the Ohio House, and while he is new to the Libertarian party, he is investing in it with confidence. “I believe anything worth doing is worth overdoing,” said Monnin, who has already spent $100,000 of the $250,000 of his own money that he plans to spend on his campaign.

“On 95 percent of Republican issues, I line up fairly well,” Monnin said. In addition to being involved in Ohio’s Republican Party as a deputy finance director for the 2004 campaign, and as a member of Newt Gingrich’s 2012 presidential campaign, Monnin also has experience in the U.S. Army’s Special Forces.

“The 19th District is a big ATM machine for the Republican Party,” said Monnin, whose transition into the Libertarian party is best explained by the fact that he thinks current Republicans aren’t living up to their promises. “There should be a party out there that represents individual liberty, lower taxes and smaller government.”

“The Republican Party left me,” Monnin claimed. “I really do not believe the Republican Party represents Republican values any longer, and I don’t feel represented by Anne Gonzales.”

According to Monnin, he met Gonzales for the first time at a New Albany Chamber of Commerce breakfast, two weeks ago. “She says to me she really wants the job and likes the job and wants to continue, but if I’m in the race, that could be problematic,” said Monnin.

Monnin’s financial standpoint has the GOP concerned, and he told the Columbus Dispatch that he has been pressured by “prominent people,” and has resisted pressure from GOP leaders to drop out of the race.

However, despite any criticism, Monnin says, “I’m in it to win it.”

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