Politics

Winner Announced In Mayoral Race Headlined By JD Vance’s Half-Brother

Published

4 weeks ago

November 5, 2025

jake

Democrat Mayor Aftab Pureval cruised to a second term Tuesday in Cincinnati, swatting aside Republican challenger Cory Bowman and tightening his party’s grip on City Hall in the reliably blue Queen City.

Pureval, a former federal prosecutor who first won the mayor’s office in 2021 with nearly 66% of the vote, claimed another easy victory — a boost for Democrats in a once-competitive Ohio that’s shifted right in recent years.

Bowman, the half-brother of Vice President JD Vance, jumped into politics after his brother’s rise to Washington. A pastor in the West End and owner of a local coffee shop, he ran on conservative values and a message that “City Hall’s out-of-touch priorities” were leaving neighborhoods behind.

Vance didn’t hit the trail, but did give his sibling a nod on X back in May, calling him “a good guy with a heart for serving his community” and urging voters to “get out there and vote for him.” Bowman replied, “Love you, brother!”

The race, while tilted in Pureval’s favor from the start, became a referendum on quality-of-life issues and crime — concerns that have rattled big-city voters nationwide. A chaotic viral brawl downtown this summer put public safety front and center, giving Bowman an opening to hammer the administration.

Pureval defended his record, pointing to more funding for police recruitment and community partnerships aimed at prevention. Bowman, meanwhile, demanded tougher enforcement and sharper accountability from the city.

In the end, Cincinnati voters stuck with the Democratic incumbent — and sent another warning to Ohio Republicans that even in a red-trending state, urban turf remains a steep hill to climb.

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