James is a fighter. As mayor of Mt. Healthy, James fights for his constituents. As a teacher, James fights for his students. As a father, James fights for his kids.

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Born and raised in Mt. Healthy, James grew up in a bipartisan home with his Republican grandparents and Democratic parents.  James was raised to always put people over politics.

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James attributes a large part of his call to public service to his time at St. Xavier High School. From St. X., James went to the University of Cincinnati where he met his now wife, Pamela Newport. After getting his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from U.C., James served through AmeriCorps with the Notre Dame Mission Volunteers for two terms before earning his Master's in Education from Xavier University.

 

James has been teaching at Mt. Healthy High School for the last 14 years. As a teacher, James sits on the board of the Student Emergency Assistance Fund to help students in need, and has been a leader in the Mt. Healthy Teachers Association where he honed his skills of advocacy and negotiation. Through both roles, James fights for students and teachers.

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In 2005, James noticed that his hometown wasn't serving its citizens as well as it could. Public spaces and events were essentially abandoned and public services were faltering. To help make Mt. Healthy a more welcoming place with a better-run government, James ran for City Council - and won. As Councilman, he's fought for several new programs to restore pride in his city. To do this, James personally ran senior bingo and family movie nights, brought organized youth sports back to Mt. Healthy Park, and created fair housing opportunities for residents.

 

In 2013, there was an effort to privatize the Mt. Healthy fire department. James, a firm believer in workers' ability to organize and receive the pay and benefits they deserve, decided that was the last straw. James ran for mayor in 2015 - and won. As mayor, James has learned how to collaborate with the Hamilton County government, Mt. Healthy's neighboring jurisdictions, non-profit agencies, and the business community to improve services for his town.

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James plans to use his experience as a father, teacher, and mayor to continue fighting for all Mt. Healthy's citizens.

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James & Pamela are the proud parents of Cameron & Holden.