Heather Hill

Heather Hill was born in Columbus, Ohio. She attended Ohio University. Her career experience includes working as an entrepreneur.[1]

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Video submitted to BallotpediaReleased August 14, 2024

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Heather Hill, and I’m running to be your next Governor in 2026.

I’m not your typical political candidate—I’m a wife, a military-mom, a foster parent, and an entrepreneur. But more importantly, I’m someone who shares your values, your struggles, and your dreams for a better future. I’m running because Ohio needs a leader who understands what it means to fight, serve, and work hard for everyday Americans like you and me.

I grew up in Appalachia, where family, faith, and hard work were a way of life. At 16, I worked at McDonald’s to help my family while earning my nursing tech certificate from Morgan High School. After graduation, I put myself through college—starting at Columbus State before earning my bachelor’s degree from Ohio University. Nothing was handed to me. Like many of you, I had to work for it.

For over 30 years, I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart, Darrin. Together, we’ve raised two children and opened our hearts to foster kids who needed a safe home. Today, we live in a log cabin on a 100-acre farm in Southeastern Ohio.

In 2015, we started Ohio Hunting Lodge—a small business rooted in our love for the outdoors and our belief in the Second Amendment. We own arms of every kind because we believe in your God-given right to protect yourself, your family, and your home. As your Governor, I will fight to defend that right from extremists who want to take it away.

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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?

But this campaign is about more than just that—it’s about the future of Ohio.

As a lifelong Appalachian, I know what it’s like to be left behind. For 25 years, my family and I have lived without high-speed internet, running city water, or reliable roads. These aren’t luxuries—they’re basic necessities. And I will fight to make sure every Ohioan, no matter where they live, has access to the resources they need.

I’ve also seen the devastation caused by bad policies that ship good jobs overseas. My stepdad worked at Taylor Woodcraft in Malta for 23 years before the factory shut down and moved to China. He lost his job. My parents lost their home. And our community lost a part of itself.We have everything we need to make Ohio thrive again: hardworking people, rich farmland, and abundant natural resources. As someone who owns gas and oil rights, I know how important our energy sector is. I believe we should use our reliable, traditional fuels and minerals to create jobs, lower energy costs, and build a stronger economy. We can’t let Washington bureaucrats or out-of-state activists hold us back from reaching our potential.

But there’s even more to this fight than just jobs and resources—it’s about our families.

Darrin and I struggled for years before we were blessed with our son. He’s our only live birth - our miracle baby. That miracle baby and his wife now serve in the United States military.I’m a proud pro-life, pro-family supporter, and I believe in protecting life while also supporting women’s health and rights.

As a mom, foster parent, former coach and school board president, I know that no one cares more about a child’s future than their parents. That’s why I’ll fight to protect your rights to make decisions about your child’s healthcare and education. I’ll fight to get radical ideologies out of our schools and ensure that teachers focus on what really matters—reading, writing, math, and preparing our kids for success.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

But here’s the truth: Ohio isn’t just facing policy problems—it’s facing a trust problem.

Our communities are divided—urban and rural, left and right, black and white. There’s a lack of trust in each other and in our leaders. Sadly this mistrust carries over to law enforcement. Our heroes in uniform deserve our respect and our support. At the same time, the community members they protect and serve deserve transparency, compassion, and peace of mind. I will fight to make sure our front-line heroes get the training and resources they need to handle increasing mental illness, violent crime, and drug-related incidents.

Deep down, we all want the same things: safe neighborhoods, strong schools, good jobs, low taxes, and a brighter future.

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

https://youtu.be/pFAH-gbxq4k

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

McDonalds, over 2 years.

Campaign websiteHill's campaign website stated the following:• ABOLISH PROPERTY TAXESOhio leadership needs to execute the Ohio Supreme Court's decision (1997 DeRolf vs Ohio) that deemed funding schools through property taxes unconstitutional. No services will be "defunded"; these services need to be funded through other means not attached to our homes. a  • EDUCATIONDo you agree that the school system is failing our youth? When was the last recent high school graduate that you spoke with where you left the conversation thinking that he/she is ready for "real life"? I feel the sole purpose of the school system is to prepare our youth for adulthood.As a mom, foster parent, former coach and school board president, I know that no one cares more about a child’s future than their parents. That’s why I’ll fight to protect your rights to make decisions about your child’s health and education. I’ll fight to get radical ideologies out of our schools and ensure that teachers focus on what really matters—reading, writing, math, and preparing our kids for success. • REVITALIZE OHIO INDUSTRY AND MANUFACTURINGInstead of investing in data centers and AI, lets get back to Ohio's roots and put the middle class back to work with good paying jobs. President Trump has secured $8.8 Trillion in foreign investment; most of that is in the production/manufacturing realm. Ohio's leaders should be incentivizing that investment to land here in Ohio. Bringing businesses back to Ohio will bring jobs back to the middle class. The influx in businesses/jobs will increase the tax base and help offset the property tax funding gaps. • ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD RELATE TO THEIR CONSTITUENTSWhat keeps you up at night? I see and hear you; the same issues keep me up at night as well! Finding a meaningful career that pays the bills and supports my family, setting up our children and grandchildren for success, and maintaining society's character and values are at the top of my list. I've been kept up at night worrying about bills, taxes, food, my children's education, and our local/State economy. I feel that we should elect representatives that can actually relate to the average citizen. How can a billionaire possibly know and understand our everyday struggles and concerns? How can a billionaire represent us if they simply cannot relate to us? • NO DATA CENTERSData centers and AI are being touted by billionaires in Ohio as the next economic mainstay. I don't feel that data centers are going to help the average Ohioan. It seems like data centers and AI will enrich the rich elite but will do little for hardworking Ohioans. There are studies that show how data centers can destroy the local water tables along with other harmful environmental consequences.— Heather Hill's campaign website (April 15, 2026)Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.