The 36-year-old political newcomer will now oppose incumbent Democrat Aftab Pureval and attempt to become the city’s first Republican mayor since 1978.
Cory Bowman, Vice President JD Vance’s younger brother, advanced from the Cincinnati mayoral primary on May 6, setting up a direct challenge with the incumbent Democratic mayor Aftab Pureval in November’s general election.
With 95 percent of the precincts reporting, Pureval gained 18,505 votes (82.53 percent), compared to 2,894 (12.9 percent) for Bowman, and 1,022 for Republican Brian Frank (4.6 percent), according to The Associated Press.
Under the rules of Cincinnati’s mayoral primaries, only the top two finishers continue to the November general election. Frank was eliminated.
In a Facebook post after learning he had advanced, Bowman thanked Cincinnati voters.
“The greatest gift local government can offer its residents is a choice. That’s exactly what voters will have this November. There’s much work ahead, and we’re ready to show our great city that we’re the best candidate for the job,” he wrote.
A political newcomer, the 36-year-old Bowman is the pastor of a church in the city’s west end, not far from the coffee shop that he owns and operates.
Late last month, after making espressos and talking to customers at the coffee house, he told The Epoch Times that fundraising and further building his volunteer campaign team would be immediate objectives if he finished in the top two on May 6.
Like Bowman, Vance is an Ohio native. He and his wife, Usha Vance, own a home in Cincinnati’s East Walnut Hills neighborhood. He served as a U.S. Senator before getting a promotion in January.
Bowman told The Epoch Times that he decided to run for mayor of Cincinnati after attending President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January and watching his older brother, who he calls a role model, become vice president.
Vance has not taken an active role in his brother’s campaign but he offered him a last-second endorsement on X on May 6.
“Hey Cincinnati! My brother Cory Bowman is running for mayor and is on the ballot today for the primary. He’s a good guy with a heart for serving his community. Get out there and vote for him!” Vance wrote.
