Andrew Kennedy (Ohio)

Andrew Kennedy ran for election to the Cincinnati City Council in Ohio. He lost in the general election on November 2, 2021.

Kennedy completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Andrew Kennedy was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Kennedy graduated from Northern Kentucky University in 2005. His career experience includes founding FREE PASS®.^[1]

Elections

2021

General election

General election for Cincinnati City Council (9 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Cincinnati City Council on November 2, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney (Nonpartisan)	7.5	28,672
✔		Greg Landsman (Nonpartisan)	7.0	26,996
✔		Reggie Harris (Nonpartisan)	6.7	25,828
✔	Submit photo	Meeka Owens (Nonpartisan)	6.3	24,177
✔		Victoria Parks (Nonpartisan)	5.9	22,879
✔	Submit photo	Scotty Johnson (Nonpartisan)	5.3	20,265
✔	Submit photo	Jeff Cramerding (Nonpartisan)	5.1	19,695
✔		Mark Jeffreys (Nonpartisan)	4.9	18,772
✔		Liz Keating (Nonpartisan)	4.5	17,497
		Michelle Dillingham (Nonpartisan)	4.1	15,910
	Submit photo	Phillip O’Neal (Nonpartisan)	4.0	15,295
		Kevin Flynn (Nonpartisan)	3.6	13,888
		Elizabeth Sundermann (Nonpartisan)	3.6	13,830
	Submit photo	Steve Goodin (Nonpartisan)	3.3	12,794
	Submit photo	Jim Tarbell (Nonpartisan)	3.1	11,734
		Brian Garry (Nonpartisan)	2.7	10,258
		Tom Brinkman Jr. (Nonpartisan)	2.5	9,805
	Submit photo	John Williams (Nonpartisan)	2.2	8,367
	Submit photo	LaKeisha Cook (Nonpartisan)	1.9	7,224
	Submit photo	Jackie Frondorf (Nonpartisan)	1.8	6,947
		Jaime Castle (Nonpartisan)	1.7	6,395
	Submit photo	Peterson Mingo (Nonpartisan)	1.4	5,278
		Evan Holt (Nonpartisan)	1.3	5,139
		Kurt Grossman (Nonpartisan)	1.3	4,975
	Submit photo	Bill Frost (Nonpartisan)	1.2	4,695
	Submit photo	Galen Gordon (Nonpartisan)	1.1	4,210
	Submit photo	Te’Airea Powell (Nonpartisan)	1.1	4,109
	Submit photo	Stacey Smith (Nonpartisan)	1.1	4,109
	Submit photo	Jalen Alford (Nonpartisan)	0.8	3,166
	Submit photo	Rob Harris II (Nonpartisan)	0.7	2,651
		Andrew Kennedy (Nonpartisan)	0.6	2,439
	Submit photo	John Maher (Nonpartisan)	0.6	2,158
	Submit photo	Logan Simmering (Nonpartisan)	0.4	1,652
	Submit photo	K.A. Heard Jr. (Nonpartisan)	0.4	1,496
	Submit photo	Nick Jabin (Nonpartisan)	0.4	1,358

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 384,663
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Charlie Winburn (Nonpartisan)
Derek Bauman (Nonpartisan)
Darius Clay (Nonpartisan)
James Jenkins (Nonpartisan)
Linda Matthews (Nonpartisan)
Robert Moore (Nonpartisan)
Victor Phillips (Nonpartisan)
Nathaniyah Yisrael (Nonpartisan)

Campaign themes

2021

Ballotpedia survey responses

Andrew Kennedy completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kennedy's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Andrew Kennedy is a candidate running for Cincinnati City Council. The election will be held on November 2nd, 2021. His centrist political platform approach involves working to bring all Cincinnatians together while extinguishing all political corruption in city hall. He sympathizes with modern political movements akin to centrism that attempt to reconcile divisions of right-wing and left-wing politics by advocating for a synthesis of center-right economic platforms with some center-left social policies.

Currently, Andrew is an independent candidate and has no political party affiliation. He simply loves all Cincinnatians and has made the decision not ask for, or accept, any donations or contributions of any kind to his campaign. Instead he encourages Cincinnatians to spend their hard-earned dollars at one of the many great Cincinnati businesses around town or donate to a Cincinnati based charity instead of giving to his campaign.

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?

There are no excuses for failure at this level.
Keeping it simple.
We are all on the same team.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Speaking face to face with hundreds of Cincinnatians throughout my campaign in Cincinnati parks and neighborhoods has educated me more than any poll or media outlet can. Issues vary from place to place and they can be deeply emotional. The decisions made at city hall can have a very deep, profound, and long-lasting impact on Cincinnati residents. I certainly don’t know all the answers. However, I do know that treating people with respect on a daily basis, listening, learning, building trust, and empowering others to achieve success are the most important things I can do as a servant of the people of Cincinnati. A platform is something you stand on. Doing that, is the only thing that will hold up over time.

In my private sector experience, I have seen how bold leadership and no-nonsense approaches can move mountains. I want to work to improve the lives of Cincinnatians and balance the needs of our community. We need to be kind to one another. We need to be smart and respectful with our precious tax dollars. It is that simple. However, holding our leadership accountable and getting it right for our future, is of vital importance to me. I invite you to hold me to your highest standard too. I will work to exceed your expectations. I am always working to discover positive new perspectives on every issue that lays before us. It is the greatest joy of my life to listen to Cincinnatians, and work to make Cincinnati even better than it already is.

We are all in this together.

What qualities does this office possess that makes it a unique and important part of the state government and legal system?

The Cincinnati City Council is the City's legislative body. The popularly elected city council is responsible for enacting ordinances, imposing taxes, making appropriations, establishing policy, and hiring some city officials. The council adopts the local general plan, zoning, and subdivision ordinance.

The mission of the Cincinnati City Council is to provide, in a democratic and transparent manner, efficient and effective services which will make Cincinnati a better place in which to live, work and play.

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

Andrew was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to Nelson Kennedy, a West Point Graduate and Procter & Gamble employee, and Suzanne Kennedy, a registered nurse and hospital chaplain. Andrew is the youngest of their three children. Andrew looks up to his father, Nelson. He would like to follow his example of strength in kindness.

When Andrew was two-years-old, the family relocated to Madeira, Ohio for Nelson’s work. From an early age, Andrew was fascinated by current events locally and around the world. He and his father would regularly watch the nightly news together and talk about what was going on. Andrew’s mother, Suzanne, was a strong enforcer of healthy food options in the home, a supporter of life-balance and wellness, and promoter of family gatherings around the dinner table.

From Kindergarten through 12th grade Andrew attended Madeira City Schools where he excelled in school and athletics. In 2000, he and his team participated in the OHSAA State Cross Country Meet at Scioto Downs. In 2001, Andrew was named Co-Cincinnati Hills League Runner of the Year in track & field.

Andrew attended Northern Kentucky University from 2001-2005 where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication – Radio and Television Concentration. He was co-captain of the NKU Cross Country Team during his senior year, a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Vice-President of the NKU Speech Club, a recipient of Firstar Bank’s All-Academic Student Athlete Award, was on the NKU Scholars List, and on NKU's Homecoming Court. During this period, Andrew was also lifeguard, a water safety instructor, an intern at Target Corporation, and an intern at WCPO (Channel 9 News) in Cincinnati, OH.

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Way_(disambiguation)

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

Andrew Kennedy is a candidate running for Cincinnati City Council. The election will be held on November 2nd, 2021. His centrist political platform approach involves working to bring all Cincinnatians together while extinguishing all political corruption in city hall. He sympathizes with modern political movements akin to centrism that attempt to reconcile divisions of right-wing and left-wing politics by advocating for a synthesis of center-right economic platforms with some center-left social policies.

Currently, Andrew is an independent candidate and has no political party affiliation. He simply loves all Cincinnatians and has made the decision not ask for, or accept, any donations or contributions of any kind to his campaign. Instead he encourages Cincinnatians to spend their hard-earned dollars at one of the many great Cincinnati businesses around town or donate to a Cincinnati based charity instead of giving to his campaign.

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

In my private sector experience, I have seen how bold leadership and no-nonsense approaches can move mountains. I want to work to improve the lives of Cincinnatians and balance the needs of our community. We need to be kind to one another. We need to be smart and respectful with our precious tax dollars. It is that simple. However, holding our leadership accountable and getting it right for our future, is of vital importance to me. I invite you to hold me to your highest standard too. I will work to exceed your expectations. I am always working to discover positive new perspectives on every issue that lays before us. It is the greatest joy of my life to listen to Cincinnatians, and work to make Cincinnati even better than it already is.

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

The Cincinnati City Council is the City's legislative body. The popularly elected city council is responsible for enacting ordinances, imposing taxes, making appropriations, establishing policy, and hiring some city officials. The council adopts the local general plan, zoning, and subdivision ordinance.

The mission of the Cincinnati City Council is to provide, in a democratic and transparent manner, efficient and effective services which will make Cincinnati a better place in which to live, work and play.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Have my kids think I am a great father and have them know they are loved.

What is your favorite book? Why?

5 Little Monkeys. My kids love and laugh when I read that to them.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Superman.

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

FITZ - Head Up High

Do you believe that it's beneficial for holders of this office to have previous experience in government or politics?

No, we need some outsiders who know how to get things done. In my private sector experience, I have seen how bold leadership and no-nonsense approaches can move mountains. I want to work to improve the lives of Cincinnatians and balance the needs of our community. We need to be kind to one another. We need to be smart and respectful with our precious tax dollars. It is that simple. However, holding our leadership accountable and getting it right for our future, is of vital importance to me. I invite you to hold me to your highest standard too. I will work to exceed your expectations. I am always working to discover positive new perspectives on every issue that lays before us. It is the greatest joy of my life to listen to Cincinnatians, and work to make Cincinnati even better than it already is.

What kind of skills or expertise do you believe would be the most helpful for the holders of this office to possess?

The expectations I have for our city are very high, and I believe you should have high expectations in your leadership. For the past 15 years I’ve been working in the private sector. In business, and as a journalist before that. My vision for us is simple. It’s about working to bring people together to solve problems. It’s about gathering input from all areas of our community, so that no one feels unheard.

Tell us your favorite joke.

What's a duck's favorite snack? Cheese and QUACKers.

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