Cory Bowman, the Republican half-brother of Vice President JD Vance, received just under 13 percent of the vote in Cincinnati’s mayoral primary on Tuesday, enough to advance to the general election.
Bowman, 36, was beaten by Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, a Democrat, who won 82.5 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, Republican Brian Frank, the third-place finisher, was eliminated with just 4.6 percent of the vote.
Under the rules of the nonpartisan three-way primary, only the top two finishers advance to the November general election.
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
Why It Matters
Republicans had not fielded a candidate for the Cincinnati mayoral race since 2009, when Brad Wenstrup lost to incumbent Mark Mallory. Four years later, Wenstrup successfully ran for Congress in Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District.
Cincinnati is a heavily Democrat-leaning city, with voters choosing Kamala Harris over President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election by 76 percent to 24 percent. All nine Cincinnati City Council members are also Democrats.
What To Know
Bowman secured one of the lowest percentages for a second-place candidate in Cincinnati’s mayoral primary history.
Following Tuesday’s result, he said: “What I will say is that looks like he had a good head start, but we’re kind of catching up a little bit… So once I see the numbers, I’ll know what our mission, our focus needs to be going into November.”
Pureval thanked his supporters for his victory, describing it as a sign the city is “on the right path.”
“Based on the early returns, I’m incredibly grateful for the citizens of Cincinnati giving us an opportunity,” he said. “Hopefully, it makes a positive statement. I’m not sure I can read anything into it other than the people think the city is on the right path.”
But Pureval lamented the low turnout in the election after only 10 percent of eligible voters headed to the polls.
“Given the chaos and uncertainty from the federal government, now is the time for voters to be engaged and exercising their voice,” he said. “That is also on me. I’ve got to do a better job of making government relevant to people and making sure they see themselves in their local government.”
Until a few months ago, Pureval had seemed poised to run unopposed for a second term. Both Bowman and Frank said that possibility spurred them to enter the race.
During the campaign, Bowman and Frank criticized Pureval for neglecting infrastructure repairs, fast-tracking a new zoning plan, and responding too slowly to a major snowstorm in January.
But Pureval defended his record, highlighting his efforts to expand affordable housing, boost public safety, and revitalize the downtown area.
Vance did not take an active role in the campaign, but he posted a message of support for Bowman on Tuesday. “He’s a good guy with a heart for serving his community… Get out there and vote for him,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Bowman replied: “Love you brother!”
Bowman co-founded an evangelical church in Cincinnati and owns a coffee shop. He has never held public office, but says his half-brother’s inauguration inspired him to enter politics.
He said previously that his political journey is separate from his brother’s. “As far as the relationship with JD, I tell people he’s my brother, he’s not a political counsellor to me,” he told The Associated Press. “He is not somebody that planted me here in this city.”
He added: “There was nobody that pushed me into it, nobody that told me that this is a pathway I should go… But I just thought this would be a great way to help impact the city in another realm as well, because that’s always been the focus.”
What Happens Next
Bowman will compete against Pureval in the Cincinnati mayor election in November.
Bowman faces an uphill battle as the city has not elected a Republican mayor in over 50 years.