Bowman Advances to Cincinnati Mayoral General Election

Cory Bowman, the half-brother of Vice President JD Vance, advanced to the November general election for Cincinnati mayor after finishing second in the May 6 primary with just under 13% of the vote, far behind incumbent Democrat Aftab Pureval's 82%. Pureval, the city's first Asian American mayor since 2021, is widely favored in the heavily Democratic city, which has not had a Republican mayor since 1971. Despite a late endorsement from Vance, Bowman—a pastor and coffee shop owner with no prior political experience—ran a modest campaign with little fundraising, grassroots activity, or debate participation. Observers attribute Bowman’s advance largely to primary rules rather than campaign momentum. Bowman has publicly distanced his campaign from national politics and his brother’s influence, focusing on local issues. The November election will pit Bowman against Pureval, who has called for a substantive debate about Cincinnati’s future.