Last night, I hosted Jeremy Todd at Big Blue, Bircus 2.0, for our "Government's the Problem" rally.

I met Jeremy the night Congressman Thomas Massie lost his May 2026 Republican primary to Ed Gallrein in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District. According to Kentucky Public Radio, campaigns and aligned outside groups spent approximately $37 million on that race.

2026 Primary Night in Kentucky. Massie was defeated by Citizens United Unlimited Campaign Spending. Foreign Money has corrupted our nation.

A friend recently sent me a Financial Times article about what I call "paulitical" friendships.

"Friendship with someone whose views we dislike is at the heart of both what it means to be human and any meaningful politics."

Roger Berkowitz's article, Hannah Arendt and Why Friendship Matters More Than Truth, reminded me of an old friend.

In 2014, I hosted Ludlow, Kentucky's 150th birthday party at the Ludlow Theatre. Our congressman, Thomas Massie, attended.

Ludlow 150th Birthday at the Ludlow Theatre: Brian Richmond, Paul Miller, and Thomas Massie Feb. 20, 2014

As the host, I was naturally running my mouth a bit.

"Congressman, let's play a little geopolitics. How many nations can you name?"

I was pointing to the flags hanging from our ceiling, representing artists from around the world.

"That's Israel," he said.

"Come on, that's easy!"

At the time, we'd hosted artists from more than a dozen countries.

"See that flag? Indonesia. The most populous Muslim-majority democracy in the world."

We had sponsored visas for two young men from Jakarta to participate in our International College Circus Festival.

"Wow, how can I help?" Thomas asked.

"Well, I'm having some issues with the IRS. Our 501(c)(3) application has been pending for over a year."

A month later, his office faxed us the official approval.

We've used the Social Circus Foundation primarily to secure visas for artists who help us develop Ludlow, Kentucky, and our wider world.

Thomas and I belonged to different political parties.

But he is my friend.

Over the years, I joined him on election nights. He took the time to meet with me in Washington, D.C., and supported the IRV World Championship we brought to Cincinnati, with more than 200 coaches and athletes from 15 countries and an economic impact in the millions.

His staff gave our family a fantastic tour of the Capitol.

When we needed a quick passport turnaround for my son to join a last-minute circus adventure in Germany, his office helped make it happen.

That's what public service should look like. Helping people, even people who don't share your political views.

Last night, Jeremy Todd and his supporters traveled to Ludlow.

We had a solid crowd, and lots of people tuned in.

I hope Jeremy wins. He's got my vote.

My first presidential vote was for Ross Perot, and I've believed for a long time that our two-party system is broken.

I'm not sure how I'll fare in Ludlow's mayoral election, but I do know this: When I came to Ludlow in 2009, it was the lowest-taxed municipality in Kenton County. Today, I believe its property taxes are the highest.

Over the past two years, the City of Ludlow has spent more than $1 million over budget… All the while fighting my circus, the Kentucky Department of Tourism, and a local bank in civil court for over 4 years.

Ludlow can't keep doing business as usual.

The FY2025 audit found serious budget overruns. Maybe every dollar went to a legitimate purpose, and the budget controls failed. A closer look may uncover other problems.

Post-rally shenanigans, Miller and Todd 2026

Either way, we taxpayers deserve the truth, in language we can understand.

We also need straight answers about stormwater runoff, traffic restrictions, development deals, and lawsuits.

I've been on the receiving end of Ludlow's fight with Circus Mojo and Bircus Brewing. Investors have discussed their legal options.

But I'd rather spend my time building something than battling City Hall.

My dad taught me what I call the Sand Castle Philosophy.

Growing up in Cleveland, my brother, sister, and I built sandcastles at the beach. On trips to the ocean, the tide would come in and knock them down.

Years later, my own kids and I built castles along Lake Michigan. Sometimes we'd come back the next day and find them gone because somebody had kicked them over.

So what?

Hope & Lucas Rogers Park Beach, Chicago 2014

We still had sand, water, and our imagination.

Sometimes we had buckets and shovels. Sometimes just our hands.

And we built again.

I've tried to live that philosophy through 17 years of work in Ludlow, including restoring the historic Ludlow Theatre.

Things get knocked down.

Sometimes it's the tide. Sometimes somebody kicks over what you've worked hard to build.

We can spend forever arguing about who did it, or we can roll up our sleeves and build again.

That's what I want for Ludlow: honest government, fair treatment, and the chance for all of us to build something better.

Thank you, Jeremy and his supporters, for making the trip to Ludlow last night. And I thank Thomas Massie for years of friendship and action.

We don't have to agree on everything to build a community together.

That's what friendship means to me and what I hope politics can become. Most of all, I want my kids to keep building sandcastles.

Old & New Friends: Massie and Todd

Tourism: Creativity Over Corruption