Leitzell graduated from the University of London with a bachelor's degree in geology in 1982 and returned to the United States to reacquaint himself with a father whom he had not seen in twelve years.
[2] Leitzell ran for mayor of Dayton, Ohio as an independent candidate in 2009 and upset Rhine McLin, the incumbent Democrat.
In January 2013, Nan Whaley, a member of the Dayton City Commission, Democrat, announced her intention to run against Leitzell in the 2013 election.
[6] On January 17, 2013, Leitzell was interviewed at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington D.C. where he was asked about how he felt about the proposal on gun control measures by U.S. president Barack Obama.
Leitzell stated "Dayton would have been on the national map, media-wise, for doing something so innovative, so creative and so necessary at this moment in time with regard to campaign spending.
His response to the issue of how gun violence could be limited was that he supports the right to bear arms, but suggested that people be required to pay more for access to assault rifles or high-capacity magazines.
In the week leading up to the panel, Nan Waley had conducted a telephone push poll that had angered Leitzell and Wagner regarding "questions they felt misrepresented facts about their past."
[9][10] On March 13, 2013, it was announced that Leitzell, Whaley and Wagner were the only candidates who had secured the required signatures to earn a spot on the ballot.
Leitzell reiterated his promise regarding campaign spending, discussed those issues which are important to him, and challenges faced by the city.
[13] Leitzell blamed his loss on a lack of understanding by the voters regarding the primary process, but expressed no regrets and pleasure at receiving 23% of the vote, despite spending only $2,000 on campaigning, as opposed to his opponents' respective totals of $264,000 and $100,000.
[15] In July 2013, Leitzell pulled petitions to run as an independent for a position on the Montgomery County, Ohio commission.
He turned in petitions to run against incumbent Judy Dodge as did Don Birdsall, Robert Matthews and Charlotte Mcquire.