Adam Mathews

Adam Mathews graduated from St. Xavier High School. He a bachelor's degree and a law degree from the University of Notre Dame in 2010 and 2013, respectively. His career experience includes working as a lawyer, small business owner, engineer, and substitute teacher.

Mathews has been affiliated with the following organizations:[1][2]

Heartbeat International

Elizabeth’s New Life Center

Cincinnati Federalist Society

St. Thomas More Society of Cincinnati

Warren County (Ohio) Foundation

Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce

Ohio State Bar Association

Warren County Republican Central Committee

St. Francis de Sales Parish

Cincinnati Notre Dame Lawyers

Notre Dame Club of Dayton

Mason SAY Soccer

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I grew up in Southwest Ohio, and now with my wife Amanda and five children happily call Lebanon our home. In my first term, I passed the most bills out of the House of any freshman, and across two terms 21 of my bills have been enacted into law — including the bills that became Ohio's 2.75% flat income tax, part of $3.2 billion in cuts, and the financial support to keep the Cincinnati Open in Mason for the next 25 years — a tournament that drew more than 300,000 visitors this year. For my work, I was ranked the 6th most conservative member of the Ohio House by CPAC.

After graduating from St. Xavier High School, I attended Notre Dame to study mechanical engineering and political science. I graduated from Notre Dame's Engineering Honors Program, which included a thesis on my research modeling brain material for use by the United States Army to protect our soldiers from shrapnel and concussions caused by IEDs. My engineering work included time at P&G's diaper division and R&D as a civilian for the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program.

I returned to Notre Dame for my law degree and have since practiced as a small business and patent attorney, helping inventors and entrepreneurs remove legal red tape standing between them and realizing their business success. I continue to keep a full-time legal practice.

By working with others, I have been able to take my skills to deliver real results for Warren County and will continue to do the same in Columbus.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Inflation and taxation are too high and continue to rise, making the American dream unattainable for too many in Ohio. Ohio should be the best place to live, work and raise a family, and that starts with more jobs and lower costs, including taxes, fees and healthcare costs. To that end, I sponsored the bills that became Ohio's 2.75% flat income tax — the lowest rate in our region, part of $3.2 billion in cuts. Property tax reform I helped pass returned over $3 billion to homeowners, and I enacted legislation to enable more starter homes. Next: continuing to phase down the income tax and expanding the homestead exemption to protect our seniors.We know what works in Warren County, with pro-family and pro-business policies contributing to a vibrant and growing community. I will protect and promote these values in Columbus so our children have a place where they can grow to be virtuous and have the economic opportunities needed to thrive. Ohio's hardest long-term problem is that too many of our young people leave. Amanda and I are raising our five children here on purpose, and lower taxes, attainable starter homes, strong schools and safe streets are how we make staying the easy choice for the next generation.I will continue to work for our citizens to ensure victories for each of us. When our schools were threatened with closing because of not enough teachers, I personally signed up to be a substitute to keep kids in classrooms. I am available, accessible, and deliver for what we hold most dear. By working with our county and municipal leaders, we were able to keep the Cincinnati Open, a top 8 tennis tournament, in Mason when everyone expected it to leave — and it drew more than 300,000 visitors this year. This year's capital budget brought home $2.6 million more for Warren County: the Dial Park playground, Armco Park, a splash pad at the Countryside YMCA, historic preservation, public safety and agriculture.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I work to simplify and cut taxes and governmental bloat. I have worked on reducing property taxes, complexity in our municipal code, and flattening our state income tax. I am equally passionate about the structure of government itself. On the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review we check the growth of bureaucracy and evaluate rules put forth by administrative agencies, and as Vice Chair of Judiciary I have worked to correct court rulings that stretched statutes past what the legislature actually wrote. Beyond that: protecting life and family, defending the Second Amendment and religious liberty, and the consistent work of constituent services, which is our office's first focus.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

My parents, loving examples of Christian living, who continue to be incredible counsel and grandparents.

I often look to the example of St. Thomas More, an attorney, statesman, and martyr. Through his virtue, steadfastness, and intelligence, he rose to the tops of the English political world, second only to the king. However, he took seriously both the teachings of God and His Church and the laws of England. So much so that he sacrificed his life and career, while still somehow keeping his piety and sense of humor. The movie "A Man for All Seasons," depicting St. Thomas, also has a great line on the rule of law, and applying the law fairly and impartially. Highly recommended.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Honesty first. I do not hide from my partisan label, or the record of the victories we've achieved.

Then a willingness to be bound by the law even when being bound by it costs you something. That is the whole argument of “A Man for All Seasons,” and it is why we need a nation of laws and not whims. An official who bends the rules when his own cause feels urgent has no rules left to stand on when the cause is someone else’s.

Then availability. I answer my constituents, I show up to the meetings, ribbon cuttings, festivals, and galas, and when our schools could not find enough teachers, I signed up myself as a substitute to keep our schools open after covid. Nobody in this district should have to wonder whether their representative is reachable.

And finally, the humility to know the limits of the office. The legislature is not the executive, and neither of us is the court. A representative who respects those boundaries protects his constituents far better than one who collects power

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To represent the people of the 56th District, all of them, whether or not they voted for me, and to leave Ohio freer and more affordable than I found it.

My office introduces and passes many bills, though our first focus is on constituent services. Whether that is helping with naturalization services, issues with state agencies, or providing commendations for retirements or honor rolls, we are happy to help

What legacy would you like to leave?

I am working for an Ohio where my kids can grow in virtue and have the economic opportunities necessary to be able to live and build a family here.

Specifically, though, three things, one for the state, one locally, and one personal.

The state one: that Ohio became a place where a young couple could afford to stay. When I took office our income tax was a bracketed mess; it is now a 2.75% flat rate, the lowest in our region, and homeowners have seen over $3 billion in property tax relief. I want that trend to be irreversible — an Ohio with no personal income tax, starter homes a young family can actually buy, and no reason for our children to build their lives in another state.

The local one, which my own kids will actually notice: the playground at Dial Park, the fields at Armco Park, the splash pad coming to the Countryside YMCA, and the Cincinnati Open still in Mason, drawing more than 300,000 visitors this year, because a handful of county and municipal leaders refused to let it go.

Legislation is how you change a state. Doing the work is how you keep a community. I would like to be remembered for doing both, and for never trading one away to get the other

And the personal one: one of my first bills was to enable the Safe Haven Baby Boxes to be turned on, after the Department of Health had functionally banned them. After the bill was enacted, the first baby saved in Ohio through these boxes was at the fire station in Lebanon, which I had sponsored while on City Council. If passing that law to save that one baby were all I had accomplished in my time in the politics, it would still easily all be worth it.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a soccer referee with Mason SAY throughout high school, four years of it. I loved it. I then worked a summer at Vanderwist Outdoor Irrigation and Lighting, putting in sprinkler systems for homes around Warren County. I learned the dignity and pride that comes with a day of hard work and to work alongside people from different backgrounds. That was one of the hardest but most rewarding summers of my career.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

I believe that the state legislature, as the most accountable branch of the government, should be bold in protecting its authority and citizens. The state legislature should guard against overreach, whether that comes from federal or state actors, within or without the same political party.

The ideal relationship is the one the Ohio Constitution describes: the General Assembly writes the law and holds the purse, the governor executes it, and neither does the other's job. A legislature that declines to assert its own authority does the people no favors, no matter who occupies the governor's office

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Keeping the next generation here and enabling families to grow. Our costs, whether taxes, housing, utilities, or health care, have to come down far enough that a young couple can buy a starter home in Warren County instead of renting in another state. That is why I sponsored the flat tax, the property tax reforms that returned over $3 billion to homeowners, and the legislation to get regulations out of the way to enable more starter homes.

Beyond cost: an energy grid that can actually carry the growth we are attracting, schools worth moving here for, and a government simple enough that people can follow what it is doing. That last one matters more than it sounds. For example, I introduced a bill to change the numbering for statewide issues, so we don't continue to have “Issue 1” every time, but rather the numbering would go up in subsequent elections. That's why this November we have Issue 3 instead of yet another Issue 1. I have drafted and enacted similar cleanups for municipal taxes, village administration, and cyber security updates.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Necessary, and often desirable. By working with others, I have been able to take my skills to deliver real results for Warren County. Twenty-one of my bills became law in two terms because I found the votes, not because I gave speeches. Some big ones, like the housing bill, are fully bipartisan. Compromise also helped improve my bill to require Ohio's universities to disclose the actual costs of student loans and tuitions and likely salaries after graduation to applicants *before* the students accept.

But there is a difference between compromise and capitulation. I will negotiate over timelines, dollar figures and how a program is implemented all day long. I will not trade away a principle to get a deal. The test I use is simple: does this move Ohio in the right direction, even if not as far as I would like? If it does, I take the win and come back for the rest. That is how in my first term we went from 4 tax brackets to 2, and in my current term, we now have a single flat 2.75% personal income tax rate.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Ohio Republican Party, Ohio Chamber of Commerce PAC, Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (AGGPAC), Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters, Fraternal Order of Police - Ohio, NFIB Ohio PAC, Ohio Right to Life PAC, Ohio Values Voters, Buckeye Firearms Association, National Rifle Association PVF, The Ohio Manufacturers' Association, Ohio CPA PAC, OSMA PAC, and many more.

Named an Americans for Prosperity Buckeye Blueprint Champion.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague, Warren County Auditor Matt Nolan, Recorder Linda Oda, Engineer Kurt Weber, Treasurer Randy Kuvin, Commissioner Dave Young; Mason Mayor Diane Nelson, Lebanon Mayor Mark Messer, South Lebanon Mayor Linda Burke, and numerous others.

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

9/11, watching it in art class at St. Susanna in Mason. As we honor 25 years of heroism since then, it is incredibly sad that some make common cause with those who excuse or justify the terrorists and their descendants, whether that's the Hamas takeovers at Columbia or giving ceremonial pens to Al-Qaeda attorneys.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I grew up in Southwest Ohio, and now with my wife Amanda and five children proudly call Lebanon our home. In my first term, I passed the most bills out of the House of any freshman and drafted and enacted policies like the $2.2 billion in income tax cuts and the financial support to keep the Cincinnati Open in Mason for the next 25 years. For my work, I was ranked the 6th most conservative member of the Ohio House by CPAC.

After graduating from St. Xavier High School, I attended Notre Dame to study mechanical engineering and political science. I graduated from Notre Dame’s Engineering Honors Program, which included a thesis on my research modeling brain material for use by the United States Army to protect our soldiers from shrapnel and concussions caused by IEDs. My engineering work included time at P&G’s diaper division and R&D as a civilian for the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program.

I returned to Notre Dame for my law degree and have since practiced as a small business and patent attorney, helping inventors and entrepreneurs remove legal red tape standing between them and realizing their business success. As a small business attorney and law firm partner, I have seen firsthand how regulations can hinder growth and success. I continue to keep a full-time legal practice.

By working with others, I have been able to take my skills to deliver real results for Warren County and will continue to do the same in Columbus.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We know what works in Warren County, with pro-family and pro-business policies contributing to a vibrant and growing community. I will protect and promote these values in Columbus so our children have a place where they can grow to be virtuous and have the economic opportunities needed to thrive.Inflation and taxation are too high and continue to rise making the American dream un-attainable for too many in Ohio. Ohio should be the best place to live, work and raise a family. and that starts with more jobs and lower costs, including taxes, fees and healthcare costs.

To that end, I introduced an income tax cut, which was rolled into the budget as a $2.2 billion cut. I have also introduced legislation to allow voters more control over their property taxes and to protect our seniors by expanding the homestead exemption.I will continue to work for our citizens to ensure victories for each of us. When our schools were threatened with closing because of not enough teachers, I personally signed up to be a substitute to keep kids in classrooms. I am available, accessible, and deliver for what we hold most dear.

By working with our county and municipal leaders, we were able to keep the Cincinnati Open, a top 8 tennis tournament, in Mason when everyone expected it to leave.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I work to simplify and cut taxes and governmental bloat. I have worked on reducing property taxes, complexity in our municipal code, and flattening our state income tax.

My office introduces and passes many bills, though our first focus is on constituent services. Whether that is helping with naturalization services, issues with state agencies, or providing commendations for retirements or honor rolls, we are happy to help.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I would highly recommend a watch of "A Man for All Seasons" (1966), both as a model of how a politician should act as well as for the defense for why we need a nation of laws and not whims.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a soccer referee with Mason SAY throughout high school. I loved it. I then worked at Vanderwist Outdoor Irrigation and Lighting, putting in sprinkler systems for homes around Warren County. I learned the dignity and pride that comes with a day of hard work and to work alongside people from different backgrounds. That was one of the hardest but most rewarding summers of my career.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

The Night Begins to Shine, by B.E.R., featured in Teen Titans Go!

(Yes, I have many small children)

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

I believe that the state legislature, as the most accountable branch of the government, should be bold in protecting its authority and citizens. The state legislature should guard against overreach, whether that comes from federal or state actors, within or without the same political party.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Why are mountain ranges the best places to tell jokes?

Because they're hill areas.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

The first bill I introduced was House Bill 1, moving Ohio to a flat tax. We achieved most of that in this year's General Assembly.

Next General Assembly, I will continue the work, introducing a six-year phase-out of the income tax. Ohio would then join the growing number of states with no personal income tax.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Ohio Republican Party, Ohio Right to Life, NFIB, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio CPAs, Americans for Prosperity, Buckeye Firearms Association, Ohio Farm Bureau, Right to Life Action Coalition

Senator JD Vance

Warren County Sheriff Larry Sims, Deputy Sheriff Barry Riley, Auditor Matt Nolan, Recorder Linda Oda, Engineer Neil Tunison, Deputy Engineer Kurt Weber, Clerk of Courts Jim Spaeth, Treasurer Barney Wright, Commissioner Dave Young

Mason Mayor Diane Nelson, Lebanon Mayor Mark Messer, South Lebanon Mayor Linda Burke, and numerous others.

What committees interest you?

I chair Public Health Policy, where we have ensured that patients receive the best care possible.

I am the vice chair for Civil Justice, where we have passed laws allowing Ohio victims of abuse to be made whole, strengthened the judicial system, and passed one of my bills in overturning two activist judicial holdings.

I thoroughly enjoy serving on Ways and Means, which is our tax policy committee. I have been able to enact policies simplifying business municipal income tax.

I am honored to serve on the Joint Committee of Agency Rules Review, where we check the growth of bureaucracy and evaluate rules put forth by administrative agencies.

I am the only attorney on Families & Aging, which has been great, as we have been able to provide help to young families.

Ohio is the first state to have an Aviation & Aerospace committee, which is fitting as we are the birthplace of flight. As an intellectual property attorney and engineer, it is thrilling to see the cutting-edge of economic and technological development occurring in our great state.

Do you support or oppose changes to the current state ballot initiative process? If so, what kind of changes would you consider?

Yes.

I introduced a bill to change the numbering, so we don't continue to have "Issue 1" every time, but rather then numbering would go up in subsequent elections. I was able to get this bill included in other legislation and it has now been enacted. This November's Issue 1 on redistricting will be the last statewide Issue 1 until we get to Issue 500 and start over.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I have grown up in Southwest Ohio, and now with my wife Amanda and four children proudly call Lebanon our home. On City Council, I promoted pro-family and pro-business legislation, working with our local shops and chambers of commerce to keep all our downtown businesses alive through the government shutdowns. I sponsored a budget that retired over $2 million of debt and brought in numerous new businesses and large developments into our area with hundreds of millions of dollars of private investment.

After graduating from St. Xavier High School, I attended Notre Dame to study mechanical engineering and political science. I graduated from Notre Dame’s Engineering Honors Program, which included a thesis on my research modeling brain material for use by the United States Army to protect our soldiers from shrapnel and concussions caused by IEDs. My engineering work included time at Procter & Gamble’s diaper division, as well as R&D as a civilian for the Navy Nuclear Propulsion Program.

I returned to Notre Dame for my law degree and have since practiced as a small business and patent attorney, helping inventors and entrepreneurs remove legal red tape standing between them and realizing their business success. As a small business attorney and law firm partner, I have seen firsthand how regulations can hinder growth and success.

By working with others, I have been able to take my skills to deliver real results for Warren County and plan to do the same in Columbus.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

We know what works in Warren County, with pro-family and pro-business policies contributing to a vibrant and growing community. I will protect and promote these values in Columbus so our children have a place where they can grow to be virtuous and have the economic opportunities needed to thrive.Inflation and taxation are too high and continue to rise making the American dream un-attainable for too many in Ohio. Ohio should be the best place to live, work and raise a family. and that starts with more jobs and lower costs, including taxes, fees and healthcare costs.I will continue to work for our citizens to ensure victories for each of us. When our schools were threatened with closing because of not enough teachers, I personally signed up to be a substitute to keep kids in classrooms. I am available, accessible, and deliver for what we hold most dear.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

1. Pro-Liberty

Adam believes the government should be bound by our Constitutions and laws. We need to strengthen the State Legislature against overreach, especially when it interferes with our schools, businesses, and daily lives. Decision-making should be as local as possible, ideally down to the individual and municipal levels.

He has worked to protect free and fair elections, serving multiple times as a Presidential Election Day Attorney. As a board member of the Cincinnati area Federalist Society, Adam has promoted originalist and textualist legal thinking, where the law should mean what it says and not bend to personal whims.

Adam fully supports the right to keep and bear arms, sponsoring and passing legislation to expand CCW rights as a city councilman. Adam is a CCW holder himself and a multi-year member of the NRA and the Buckeye Firearms Association. For his work and support, Adam is an NRA 2022 Defender of Freedom Award winner.

2. Pro-Police

Adam has sponsored and passed legislation on City Council to fully fund Lebanon's police and give them the high-tech equipment they need. While others work to defund the police or excuse looting, Adam stands with our law enforcement and is endorsed by Warren County Sheriff Larry Sims.

3. Pro-Life

Adam serves on the board of local non-profits giving free pre-natal care, diapers, cribs, ultrasounds, and more for women in need to care for both mother and child. He is pro-life from conception to natural death.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

I would highly recommend a watch of "A Man for All Seasons" (1966), both as a model of how a politician should act as well as for the defense for why we need a nation of laws and not whims.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

A representative must REPRESENT the district. This means showing up to work in Columbus, holding and espousing the beliefs of the district, as well as being available and accessible at home. During my time on City Council, I have made it a point to be at the majority of ribbon cuttings, volunteer at our festivals, and be free with my cell phone for anyone who needs it. In Columbus, I have already testified in favor of and helped pass multiple laws which have helped Ohioans, using my legal background to take the pro-family, pro-business values held here in Warren County and enact them. I will continue to take this duty seriously to protect and promote what works in Warren County.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a soccer referee with Mason SAY throughout high school. I loved it. I then worked at Vanderwist Outdoor Irrigation and Lighting, putting in sprinkler systems for homes around Warren County. I learned the dignity and pride that comes with a day of hard work and to work alongside people from different backgrounds. That was one of the hardest but most rewarding summers of my career.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

I believe that the state legislature, as the most accountable branch of the government, should be bold in protecting its authority and citizens. The state legislature should guard against overreach, whether that comes from federal or state actors, within or without the same political party.

Tell us your favorite joke.

Why are mountain ranges the best places to tell jokes?

Because they're hill areas.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Yes, emergency powers must have oversight, especially when those powers are exercised for months on end. There is not a state legislator who lives more than two and a half hours from Columbus, so if legislation is needed to grant powers, the Governor and anyone else should go through proper channels and listen to the authority of the General Assembly.