“The people of Butler County are ready for a new vision,” he told a crowd of supporters Monday morning at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Hamilton. “They deserve bold leadership — someone who will stand firm, speak the truth and fight tirelessly for the conservative principles we hold dear.”
Carpenter, who will seek a fifth term, said Ryan isn’t really seeking a seat on the commission.
“The rumors are he wants to use the commissioner’s seat as a stepping stone for his political future, frankly, sounds like the real reason he’s running,” she said.
Ryan, the son of former Hamilton Mayor Don Ryan, followed in his father’s political footsteps when he was elected to the Hamilton City Council eight years ago. He was the top vote-getter in 2017 and became vice mayor for two years, per the city’s charter. Four years later, in 2021, he repeated the outcome and became vice mayor for the second time.
Credit: Michael D. Pitman
Credit: Michael D. Pitman
Butler County has a budget of around $500 million, which is not far off the city of Hamilton’s total budget of $419.7 million. The city’s large budget is due to its utility operations, which include water, sewer, gas, and electric.
Hamilton Councilmember Tim Naab, who serves with Ryan, supported Ryan at his campaign announcement.
“I’ve worked with Michael on numerous city of Hamilton projects, bringing economic vitality, new businesses, jobs and securing long-standing, trusted conservative value relationships to our community.”
Naab said Ryan has collaborated with local, state, and federal decision-makers over the past eight years on issues related to public safety, streets, and infrastructure and was Hamilton’s liaison for the city’s push to bring an Amtrak stop to the county seat of Butler County.
Hamilton Councilmember Joel Lauer touted Ryan’s role in pausing the Miami Conservancy District’s “outdated” assessment process that would have cost property owners tens of thousands of dollars, if not more, in annual property tax assessments for flood protection. The first-term councilmember said Ryan “helped us forge a relationship for our staff to work alongside the MCD in developing a better path forward.”
“Michael, your leadership with our elected officials has helped us to get something better for our citizens, and you helped the MCD recognize how we can work together on this,” Lauer said.
Ryan was critical of Carpenter’s tenure, specifically in recent years.
“We do not need a commissioner who has lost her fervor for conservative values, or a candidate on a revenge tour,” Ryan said. “This will only hurt the people of Butler County and block progress.”
Some in the Butler County Republican Party had been critical of Carptner’s support two years ago for Middletown Mayor Elizabeth Slamka, a Democrat.
Carpenter, however, defends both her of records: as a county commissioner and as a Republican.
“Mike Ryan can’t say I’ve been a bad commissioner,” she told the Journal-News. “He doesn’t want to talk about how strongly I’ve supported Hamilton City Council, so he’s come up with the feeble excuse that he is defending the Republican Party. I have been helping to build the Butler County Republican Party literally since before he was born.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Carpenter is a four-term County Commissioner and member of the Butler County GOP Central Committee. Before her time on the commission, Carpenter served four terms as Butler County Clerk of Courts.
Carpenter has been part of the commission that has delivered structurally balanced budgets and has advocated for child welfare reform within Butler County. Additionally, Carpenter has worked with state agencies to help the unemployed find jobs.
If Ryan and Carpenter are certified for the Butler County Commission race, they must file petitions for the May 5, 2026, primary by 4 p.m. on Feb. 4, 2026. The winner of that contest will be the party’s nominee in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
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