Tim Grady

Tim Grady was born in Mansfield, Ohio. He graduated from Lexington High School. He earned an associate degree from Stark State College in 2021 and a bachelor's degree from Ohio University in 2021. His career experience includes working as an anti-money laundering analyst, political organizer, political consultant, and campaign manager. He founded the Heartland Party and previously served as chair of the Ohio Forward Party.[1][2]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m Timothy Grady. I have an AAS degree in Computer Science, a BS in Economics, and am completing my Master of Public Administration at the OSU Glenn College. I have worked as a political consultant, a political organizer, and in anti-money laundering. I have run for office a few times just for the opportunity to send a message and speak a little truth to power. I’ve also been involved in more serious political efforts, acting as campaign manager or volunteer for candidates. From November 2023 to January 2025 I was elected to the position of Chair of the Ohio Forward Party until my resignation over differing views with the National Forward Party and a sense that I could better serve the movement outside the party.

As a lifelong independent and Ohioan I have seen the failures, the incompetence, and corruption of the Democratic and Republican parties, I have seen the left behind Ohio, I have seen the hollowing out of our small cities and communities, I have seen the struggle of students, parents, families, and regular Ohioans; which calls me and calls all of us to stand up, to demand better, and to fight for our future.

I don’t like politics and I think many of the people in it are there for the wrong reasons. I engage in politics only reluctantly because I think things are bad and they could be better and I could do something to make them better and so feel obligated to try. I do like the opportunity to talk to people though. I think we should talk to each other more.

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?

Integrity, which is our commitment to character and holding ourselves and others to a high standard of behavior, to honesty, and public service. Corruption is destroying us. When people get ahead not by merit and hard work, but through bribery and connections, it drains our energy, our determination, and our sense of civic duty. It creates a system where dishonesty thrives, where government serves the powerful instead of the people, and where the fabric of society unravels.

Trust is what holds us together, and we must rebuild it. As a culture of corruption has spread, we have collectively lost faith in the institutions that made us great. Restoring trust and rooting our corruption is essential to our future success and must be a priority.Freedom and our commitment to individual liberty, choice, and opportunity that this country was founded upon. Freedom means protecting our individual rights; freedom of speech, religion, assembly, expression, and privacy. It means the right to pursue happiness, make our own decisions, and learn from our own mistakes.

Freedom keeps power in check. No one person or institution can control everything. When decisions are decentralized, ground-up, and made at the lowest practical level, we thrive. Freedom means free exchange and free markets. People, not bureaucracies, are the best judges of their own needs and desires. When people can act on their own judgment, work, trade, and collaborate voluntarily, they create innovation and prosperity.Improvement is our commitment to building a better future and a stronger country for ourselves and for future generations. Improvement in the tradition of Henry Clay and Quincy Adams, both National Improvement and Self-Improvement.

We invest in infrastructure, in what connects us, and in where we live. We invest in the future and in discovery, through the sciences and education. But the heart of this movement is inspiring us all to strive to be better. That’s the idea behind this country, that people will be free to pursue their dreams and rise above. That’s the power of democracy and liberty: the freedom to explore who we are and strive for more. We create the fabric of our nation by the lives we lead, not who we vote for.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I went into economics because it’s what I’m personally passionate about. I’m in politics because of my passion for economics. To put it simply: I think we’re doing public policy wrong and there’s a better way.

I saw what the financial crisis did to Mansfield when I was growing up. Understanding how that happened, what went wrong, and how places like Mansfield, these small industrial cities in the rustbelt, can thrive again, is what has guided my whole life.

What I discovered was Complexity Science and the insights it offers for economics and public policy. It looks at the world not as a physics equation but as a living evolutionary ecosystem. We need new ideas and perspectives like these.

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

Fictional characters, characters from Star Trek mostly, Picard, Archer, Garak.

Alexander Hamilton, John Quincy Adams, Adam Smith.

I think the common thread here between all these characters and historical figures is a commitment to improvement. Both self-improvement and internal improvements of the state, this is especially true of Garak.

John Quincy Adams really felt that America was a place where we could seek to better ourselves and improve our community. That freedom and democracy is a responsibility to be the best people and the best country we can be. That connection between National improvement, building roads and bridges and such, and self-improvement, trying to gain skills, find gainful employment that contributes to our community and country, I think that's the synthesis we need to revive. It's very much in line with our unofficial motto, E Pluribus Unum, Out of Many, One. We are all what makes this country great, our strength together, from many different states and different peoples: one nation. Not the most effective president though. Hamilton did a lot with a good plan and was never even president.

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

I would recommend The Origin of Wealth by Eric Beinhocker. It’s a dense read and I wouldn’t argue that it fully encapsulates my political philosophy, but it’s definitely the book that started me down this path and introduced me to the theories and science that inform my own approach to policy and economics.

I would also recommend Star Trek. Really good show. I think I'm heavily influenced by the philosophy presented in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Enterprise as well which is a good show that examines development coming out of a crisis like WW3. (Don't ask me how I'd handle Tuvix). It could certainly be said that much of what drives me is trying to achieve that improvement focused, world of prosperity and abundance that cares about scientific research and human progress that we see in Star Trek. I also hope to live to see the day humanity is an interstellar civilization.

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

Integrity, accountability, the ability to think and handle complex problems. It is not always necessary but I believe it is important in times of crisis like we are in now, that an elected official believe in something greater than themselves, having a clear vision and purpose for their time in elected office. It is also good to have commitment to principles such as Democracy, Freedom, and E Pluribus Unum.

Integrity is key and sorely lacking in Ohio. We need elected officials who can’t be bought or captured by special interests. We need elected officials who will speak honestly rather than out of both sides of their mouth. We need elected officials who will put the state, public service, and Ohioans above personal or political interests. If you elect someone without integrity, then you really don’t know who you’ve elected, you don’t know what they’ll do, what promises they’ll break.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Integrity, misplaced sense of righteous indignation, the ability to synthesize disparate information sources into a coherent analysis of the obstacles ahead. Really all I want is to enable others to succeed, I hate wasted potential and we have so much wasted potential in this state. I'll do what it takes.

Also a commitment to American ideals like democracy, justice, and liberty as well as an appreciation of American history.

More than anything though, it's my determination. I'm always going to keep fighting for what I know is right and doing what I know needs to be done even if it falls to me alone. Everyone fails, everyone falls. What's important is that you get back up. My personal motto is: Undeterred.

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

Leadership, public service, fidelity to Ohio and its founding principles, and managerial competence.

Being the governor of Ohio is assuming responsibility for leading the state government as well as the people of Ohio. Living up to that responsibility is the greatest task of any governor.

The governor heads a large bureaucracy and has significant power in this respect. Managing well, appointing the right people, and building a culture that allows for communication, criticism, and problem solving is necessary and potentially far more impactful than some might assume.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I wish to transform Ohio into an economic and technological juggernaut. We should be a leader nationally and globally and we can be. The potential is there. We just need people with vision, commitment, and plan. We can be a comeback story for the whole country. We can have a Rustbelt Renaissance that leads the nation into the future.

Also, the complete shattering of the existing political dynamic. The parties are entrenched, opinions on politics and policy are dictated almost entirely by one’s identity associated with a particular party or political tribe. It’s totally unsustainable. I would like to be the one that helped take down the Democrats and Republicans and brought a thriving, competitive democracy to Ohio.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

9/11 attacks. I was five. It did not leave a remarkable impression. I recall stacking blocks and knocking them down. Again, I was five.

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

Celestine by Spector

Governors have many responsibilities, which vary from state to state. Which of those do you personally consider the most important in your state?

The most important are the appointments the governor gets to make and their role in formulating and submitting a budget proposal to the legislature.

The governor does not run the government alone. Over the decades many committees and boards have been created which the governor nominates or appoints many or most of the members of. They have power in setting rules and standards and in distributing funds. Some of our most potentially impactful programs function in this way and fall ultimately to the governor. Finding good, qualified, passionate people to fill these positions is what the governor must do. So many otherwise good programs fail because governors historically view many of these positions as rewards for political backers rather than a serious responsibility.

The governor needs to appoint good people. We need a governor who won’t make appointments based on graft or corruption. If we’re going to reverse the corruption and capture of the state by special interests, electing an honest, incorruptible governor is where you start.

Different states require governors to have different degrees of responsibility for the state budgeting process. If it were your choice, what do you believe is the appropriate degree of gubernatorial involvement with this process in your state?

I’m comfortable with the governor’s current responsibility in the budgeting process. The governor really starts the process and anchors the budget with their budget proposal. It’s a solidly consultative process with opportunities to assess the departments of the state government, the state of the economy, and to consult with relevant stakeholders like local governments, universities, and businesses to make well informed recommendations. Primary responsibility ultimately is held by the legislature and the legislature in Ohio is notoriously corrupt. But the governor has some means to keep that abuse in check with veto power. This seems to be an appropriate role for the governor. The greater task is to ensure those elected to the governorship and the legislature will work to root out corruption and cannot be bought. Because no system is perfect, it falls to us, the voters, to keep the process fair.

In most states, governors have the power to make line-item vetoes. If that is true in your state, what would be your philosophy for how and when to use this power?

Sparingly and when appropriate.

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

Mildly oppositional but generally constructive and cooperative. The legislature is and should be the driver of legislation with the governor acting in a more advisory role and then focused on implementing policy well. I think the implementation process, which is where many decisions are made, should also involve continuing input and consultation from the legislature. So while I feel their roles and relationships are defined, that it is always a partnership of sorts requiring cooperation. The governor should absolutely provide leadership and vision but it is the responsibility of the governor to build support for that vision within the legislature and for the legislature to at times temper that vision.

What do you love most about your state?

Its history and eclectic diversity. History matters. So much of our economy and society is path dependent, shaped and dictated by decisions made decades, even centuries in the past. We have to know the history of the state and our localities to make informed decisions on how to govern it, where to invest, and how to build on what’s there. I like to learn the little details and the broad strokes of how a place came to be. Today’s Ohio is shaped along its early trails, its canals, its railways. The early industries and innovations drive our modern economy. The Wright brothers working 100 years ago mean Wright-Patterson and surrounding area is an aerospace hub. The Toledo area, the Glass City, is now home to the largest manufacturer of solar panels in North America. We have a history of social movements, the second great awakening, abolitionism, temperance, the founding of public and private universities, waves of immigrants from across the country and across the world that settled different parts of Ohio and shaped it with their unique cultural contributions. History matters.

And history is also fun and trivial. The Cuyahoga on fire for instance (lots of rivers were burning back then!). Or Ohio’s multitude of astronauts including John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, and Neil Armstrong, the first human on the moon. Of course a firm foundation for establishing Ohio’s claims to space. Unfortunately we can’t decisively claim to be the home of the most presidents (we have to fight with Virginia over William Henry Harrison, if you think he’s worth fighting for), but we can claim to have the most presidents who died in office, that’s something. In fact, an Ohioan being elected president appears to have a 50% chance of dying in office.

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

The continuing demographic transition, corruption, and rebuilding Ohio’s economy to be competitive in the 21st century. These are ongoing concerns that have defined the previous few decades and are the same challenges much of the country and much of the world faces. Ohio has faced an extended crisis of governance that’s exacerbated these problems. Which ultimately means our greatest challenge is overcoming institutional advantages that protect the largely unaccountable Republican government and trivial Democratic party.

Ohio suffers from state capture, which is a term coined to describe the extreme level of corruption seen in post-Soviet states, if that tells you anything. Rooting out corruption and freeing the state from control by moneyed interests is a tremendous challenge and key to facing all our other challenges. It requires aggressive enforcement of the law, it requires rooting out the worst offenders and providing vital support to the honest people left in government. And it requires mobilizing the public to demand and fight for something better, to vote out bad politicians and parties, to hold the government accountable.

Ohio hasn’t made the necessary investments in infrastructure, in services, in education, in industry to retain young Ohioans and attract top global talent who otherwise seek opportunities elsewhere in the country. That makes it more difficult for us to maintain an aging population and to meet the state’s pension obligations.

Our smaller cities and villages have also suffered greatly from the decline and reorganization of industry and global trade and many communities are ill positioned for recovery. Small cities like Marion, Wooster, and Mansfield are often overlooked but I believe that not only can we do more to grow and redevelop these places but that they also are poised to be engines of innovation and dynamism for the state. We have the opportunity right now to turn our greatest challenges into our greatest strengths.

Tell us your favorite joke.

The duopoly

Under what circumstances should the governor of your state be able to use emergency powers?

In the event of an emergency and short of the state legislature or the judicial branch overruling said emergency declaration.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Transparency and accountability are top priorities for me. The lack of transparency and accountability is what has allowed Ohio to become one of the most corrupt states in the Union. More can be done to ensure knowledge of the spending and obligations of the government is not just publicly available, but available in formats that are easy to access, understand, and follow for Ohioans.

While my administration would seek to maximize transparency and create an open and accountable government; true accountability can only be achieved and is the responsibility of the voters. Accountability requires voters to punish politicians who act badly. In Ohio, even objectively criminal activity is not typically enough to cost a politician reelection so long as they belong to the right party. That’s unacceptable and is what creates this culture of corruption and unaccountability. For real accountability, we have to build a political system with real competition. That means independent redistricting, that means more access for independents to run for office, and that means seriously diminishing the power of money in politics. If we want a real accountable government we have to build a new political party that represents the people and can challenge Democrats and Republicans even in their partisan strongholds.

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

I would be supportive of changes. The threshold for putting a question to the voters is far too high. As a result, the only things Ohioans get to vote on are the initiatives with deep-pocketed backing. If you lower the threshold of signatures to place a question on the ballot, you can generally trust Ohio voters to make the right call on election day.

And I do think that this process has resulted in a mess of a Constitution as the initiative process becomes the last resort after a dysfunctional state legislature refuses to act responsibly and responsively to the people. So along with greatly reducing the threshold to placing a question on the ballot, I would also consider it appropriate to increase the vote threshold to amend the state constitution to 60% approval.

A governor is the top executive authority in his or her state. What does that mean to you?

The elected executive authority typically constitutes two somewhat distinct roles as head of state and head of government. As head of government the governor takes on a managerial position, tasked with leading Ohio’s government with efficient operation of the bureaucracy and the provision of its services. As head of state the governor is the popularly chosen leader of the people, an overtly political position tasked with providing vision and voice for Ohio and being its representative to the country and the world.Both are vital to the well being of Ohio.

As head of government, I believe in an involved approach that fosters understanding of even the most basic operations of the government and ample communication while readily delegating to the most capable. Specialization, hierarchy, and open networks. I also believe strongly in the power of regular restructuring. Every 4-8 years we really need to examine the organization we’ve built and have some big shakeups. Review what works and what doesn’t and make reforms and improvements as necessary.

As head of state, I’m a proponent of a well articulated and optimistic vision for the future. This is where I think we fail most in our politics. Election campaigns are the perfect vehicles for providing goals and direction to our society at large, whether or not we win. With this campaign I aim to provide a vision of abundance, of industriousness and innovation, that inspires everyone to fulfill their potential, a vision where Ohio leads the future. I would continue building that vision in office.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe. Lifelong resident of Richland County, believer in the future of Ohio, realist, optimist, fervent evolutionary, pataphysicist, and serious person.

I have an Associate Degree in Computer Science from Stark State, a Bachelor's of Science in Economics from Ohio University, and I'm currently completing a Master's of Public Administration at Ohio State University. I have been a political consultant, an organizer for Rank The Vote Ohio, and most recently an anti-money laundering analyst. My passion is economics.

For my entire life I have been a political independent though I was the Libertarian nominee for state representative here in 2018 and have had managerial roles in Democratic campaigns, most recently the Mansfield mayoral race where I learned so much about the politics of corruption, apathy, and decay inflicting this city.

But for the first time, I have joined a political party. The Forward Party. The Forward Party is a new political party formed by former Democrats and Republicans and growing quickly across the country. Its aim is to create a better kind of party, to save our democracy, and get things done. It’s a party designed to be grassroots, to look at policy with a community focus first, to empower local leaders and civic engagement to solve problems.

It's not left or right, it's Forward. It's inspired me to run again and try and make things better here.

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?

Restoration of American values - liberal (market) democracy, the rule of law, the spirit of self-improvement, liberty, and opportunity. These values have been eroded or are actively under attack. Certainly at least one candidate should defend them. I think there is a combination of ideals and values that make us distinctly American, that have made the United States a country that thrives and that millions of people flock to. These have to be preserved and nurtured. And these are absolutely under attack by bad actors or are being eroded by apathy, inequity, corruption, and partisanship. If we don't remember who we are and how we got here, we won't know how to move forward.Fighting Corruption - We’re incredibly corrupt in Ohio and locally. There is the clearly criminal corruption like the Householder bribery scandal but corruption is not all criminal. Sometimes corruption is just the sense of obligation created by a significant campaign contribution, it’s conflicts of interest; it's the networks of politicians, influence peddlers, wealthy interests, and elites that run in the same circles and reinforce the same ideas amongst each other. It's not wrong, it's not criminal, but when you have a handful of wealthy and well-connected individuals or corporations calling the shots, you don’t have a democracy and you ignore all the knowledge and reason of everyone else. We can do better.Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and a Robust Economy - The only thing that really raises the standard of living is productivity growth, being able to do more with less. And we want to raise the standard of living, we want people to live better, to lead better lives. I want to focus on fostering innovation through investments in education, in research and development, in entrepreneurship, and all the necessary infrastructure to bring people, ideas, and resources together. That's how you build an innovative, robust, and diversified economy. It really starts with investments in people and the places that bring us together.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Energy policy. Ohio has a role to play in the next energy revolution and I'm hoping we can take a leading role if we start investing now. Abundant, reliable energy is the basis for a vibrant economy.

This is a bit more broad but I'm very interested in economic policy. A lot of our economic policy is founded in some very dated and misguided ideas and most policy makers have a very poor understanding of economics. I'd like to change that. There should be more resources dedicated to economic policy development, developing useful tools of economic analysis for state and local policy makers. If we don't understand our economy, how can we improve it?

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

Fictional characters, characters from Star Trek mostly, Picard, Archer, Garak. Garak is great, DS9 is a really underappreciated series. I try to draw a lot of inspiration from Garak for my character. No supervillains come to mind, surprisingly.

Alexander Hamilton, John Quincy Adams, Adam Smith.

I think the common thread here between all these characters and historical figures is a commitment to improvement. Both self-improvement and internal improvements of the state, this is especially true of Garak.

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

The Origin of Wealth by Eric Beinhocker.

The War on Normal People by Andrew Yang is a more accessible book that's also pretty good.

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

Integrity, accountability, the ability to think and handle complex problems.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Integrity, misplaced sense of righteous indignation, the ability to synthesize disparate information sources into a coherent analysis of the obstacles ahead. Really all I want is to enable others to succeed, I hate wasted potential and we have so much wasted potential in this state. I'll do what it takes.

Oh, also a commitment to American ideals like democracy, justice, and liberty.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Just the complete shattering of the existing political dynamic. The parties are entrenched, opinions on politics and policy are dictated almost entirely by one’s identity associated with a particular party or political tribe. It’s totally unsustainable so we’ve got to shake it up, etch a sketch style.

But also really want to transform Ohio into an economic and technological juggernaut. We should be a leader nationally and globally and we can be. The potential is there. We just need people with vision, commitment, and plan.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

9/11 attacks. I was five. It did not leave a remarkable impression. I recall stacking blocks and knocking them down. Again, I was five.

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

I'm Not Dead - Charly Bliss

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

The continuing demographic transition and rebuilding Ohio’s economy to be competitive in the 21st century. Both of these are ongoing concern