JD Vance’s Half-Brother Cory Bowman Loses Cincinnati Mayoral Race to Democrat Aftab Pureval

CINCINNATI — Cory Bowman, the half-brother of U.S. Senator JD Vance (R-Ohio), has lost his bid to become mayor of Cincinnati, according to results from the Associated Press.

Bowman, running as a Republican, sought to unseat Democratic incumbent Aftab Pureval, who was first elected in 2021. Pureval successfully secured a second term, extending Democratic control of the city in a decisive win.

While Bowman campaigned on a message of public safety and fiscal reform, his effort to shift Cincinnati’s leadership toward the GOP faced steep odds in the heavily Democratic city. Pureval emphasized his administration’s investments in infrastructure, housing, and policing reforms, themes that resonated with urban voters.

Bowman’s loss marks a setback for Ohio Republicans hoping to gain local influence in major cities, even as the state overall has leaned more conservative in recent years under figures like his half-brother, Senator Vance.