This Cincinnati Council candidate got GOP’s endorsement. He’s also gay.

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With Councilman Chris Seelbach leading the way, Cincinnati became a leader in LGBT inclusion policies and practices, showing a commitment to full equality for all residents and workers. Video by Liz Dufour

CINCINNATI — The Hamilton County Republican Party last week unanimously endorsed an openly gay candidate for Cincinnati City Council, believed to be the first time the local GOP in conservative southwest Ohio has done that.

Whoop-dee-friggin’-doo, Seth Maney said. About his sexual orientation, that is.

A council member’s sexual orientation is irrelevant to doing the job, the first-time candidate said, Maney is taking clear aim in his campaign at a City Hall incumbent who he believes makes a big deal out of being gay, Democrat Chris Seelbach.

“Identity politics is a joke,” Maney said. “As a gay man, I don’t believe that I owe him my vote because he happens to be gay. Does anyone?

“Why does that guy deserve a seat on council when he is talking about things that are irrelevant to the quality of life of people living, working and paying taxes in our city? Maney asked. “He doesn’t, but he has name ID, so congrats.”

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The council race is not a head-to-head election, and Maney and Seelbach have worked together on projects in the past. Maney donated to Seelbach’s campaign in 2015, according to public records, a decision that Maney says he now regrets. 

But why is Maney, 31, on the offensive specifically about Seelbach? Three seats on the nine-member council are open, and all are up for grabs.

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“I don’t lead with it,” Maney said. “I’ve been in my relationship for 2½ years, and if it comes up, it comes up. I tell people when it’s relevant. Let’s face it: It’s not the 1970s and I’m not Harvey Milk and neither is Chris. It’s 2017, right?”

In 1977, Milk became the first openly gay candidate elected in California. He later was assassinated.

Maney grew up in suburban Dayton, the son of “old-school, common-sense, business-minded Republicans.”

While studying political science at the University of Dayton, a private Roman Catholic school, he did a project on Cincinnati’s form of government. He moved here in 2013 but had not been active in the party.

That didn’t matter to the Hamilton County GOP, which endorsed just three candidates after struggling to find folks to run for council.

He impressed GOP leaders during the endorsement process by touting the Republican ideals of individual rights, limited government, pro-public safety and pro-development. Maney was upfront with the endorsement committee about being gay. 

“This is a matter that’s personal to him and is of no concern politically,” said Hamilton County’s GOP chairman, Alex Triantafilou. He added he believes Maney has a “bright future” in politics.

Maney is getting his campaign going later than most candidates, but the filing deadline isn’t until Aug. 24. It’s tough for a Republican to win in heavily Democratic Cincinnati, let alone one with no name recognition.

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Nonetheless, Maney’s story could help him catch voters’ attention. And if the GOP money machine and developers get behind him, it could position Maney to be a contender in a race where a candidate only needs to garner about 6% of the vote to win a seat.

“I care more about people who wake up and work for a living than what sort of sign needs to go on a bathroom,” Maney said. “That doesn’t mean I don’t care about people who might identify differently than they were born. I’m human. I’m decent. But let’s focus on the role of government in our lives.”

Follow Jason Williams on Twitter: @jwilliamscincy

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