Cincinnati’s nonpartisan mayoral primary is set for Tuesday, with incumbent Democrat Aftab Pureval facing off against two Republican challengers, including Cory Bowman, the half-brother of Vice President JD Vance.

In a city long dominated by Democratic politics, the top two vote-getters in the primary will advance to the November general election, where they will compete for the chance to lead Ohio’s third-largest city.

Bowman, 36, an evangelical pastor and local coffee shop owner, has never held public office, but he’s making his mark by challenging Pureval’s reelection bid. Alongside Bowman is Brian Frank, a procurement professional, who also enters the race with no prior political experience. Both men say they felt compelled to run as they didn’t want the city’s mayoral race to go uncontested.

Should Bowman pull off a surprise victory, he would join the ranks of other relatives of high-profile politicians who have ventured into public office. One example includes Mike Pence’s brother, who was elected to Congress during the Trump administration.

Bowman insists that his focus is squarely on improving Cincinnati, not advancing any national political agenda. While his half-brother’s rise to the vice presidency inspired him to run, Bowman is quick to clarify that JD Vance is just that—his brother—and not his political advisor.

Pureval, who has built a reputation as a rising star within the Democratic Party, is running for his second term. The 42-year-old former special assistant U.S. attorney and Hamilton County clerk of courts won the 2021 mayoral race in a landslide, securing nearly 66% of the vote.

Cincinnati's mayoral primaries have historically seen low voter turnout, which has sometimes led to surprising results. In 2013, for example, Democrat John Cranley edged out former Mayor Roxanne Qualls, using the primary momentum to win in the general election. Four years later, Cranley finished second in the primary to Yvette Simpson, yet managed to retain the mayor’s office that fall.

Voters in Cincinnati, along with Ohioans across the state, will also decide on State Issue 2, a ballot measure that seeks to reauthorize a $2.5 billion program to fund essential local infrastructure projects, including roads and bridges, over the next decade.


By WafricNews Desk.