Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval will challenge Cory Bowman, sibling of J.D. Vance, in the upcoming fall election.
Get ready for some political drama, folks! Cincinnati's upcoming mayoral race is heating up as incumbent Mayor Aftab Pureval will be going head-to-head with Cory Bowman, the half-brother of Vice President JD Vance.
Pureval dominated the nonpartisan three-way primary contest, leaving third-place finisher Brian Frank in the dust. Under Cincinnati's nonpartisan primary rules, only the top two primary finishers progress to the November general election, and it looks like Pureval has this one in the bag, leading Bowman by a whopping 70 percentage points.
However, Cory Bowman isn't throwing in the towel just yet. If he can pull off an upset victory in this predominantly Democratic city, he'll join a prestigious list of family members of presidents or vice presidents who've served in office, including the brother of Mike Pence, former Vice President under President Trump.
In a statement, Pureval expressed his excitement for a meaningful and healthy debate of ideas about the city's future as they head into the fall. "We've made some great strides for our community over the past few years, and this is a moment to keep building on the momentum we've worked so hard to create," he said.
Bowman hasn't commented on the election just yet but has said that he wants to focus on improving his city, not dabbling in national politics.
Aftab Pureval, 42, is seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party. He's a former special assistant U.S. attorney, congressional candidate, and Hamilton County clerk of courts. He took the mayoral seat in 2021 with nearly 66% of the vote, making him the leader of Ohio's third-largest city.
Cory Bowman, 36, founded an evangelical church on Cincinnati's West End and owns a coffee shop. This will be his first foray into politics, as he's been inspired to run after his half-brother's inauguration. JD Vance didn't play an active role in the campaign, but he did throw his support behind Bowman, stating that he's a good guy with a heart for serving his community.
Voters across Ohio also approved State Issue 2 on Tuesday, reauthorizing a program that will provide $2.5 billion for local infrastructure projects over the next decade, including roads and bridges.
Now, let's sit back and see who'll line up to lead the Queen City as we head into the fall. Stay tuned for more election updates!
Additional Insights:
- Cory Bowman's candidacy could affect voter perception due to his half-brother's status as a U.S. Vice President.
- Pureval's re-election bid presents an opportunity for him to solidify his position as a rising star in the Democratic Party.
- The election is expected to be focused on local issues such as economic development, public safety, and community services.
- The winner of the mayoral race will be charged with overseeing projects funded by State Issue 2.
- Despite trailing by a significant 70 percentage points in the mayoral race, Cory Bowman, half-brother of Vice President JD Vance, has not given up hope for an upset victory in the predominantly Democratic city of Cincinnati.
- If elected, Cory Bowman would join a list of family members of presidents or vice presidents who've served in office, such as the brother of former Vice President Mike Pence.
- The upcoming Cincinnati mayoral race, between Aftab Pureval and Cory Bowman, is expected to center on local issues like economic development, public safety, and community services, with Pureval, seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, currently leading in the polls.


