Context:

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval faces two challengers in the city's nonpartisan primary, including Cory Bowman, who is JD Vance's half brother and an evangelical pastor and coffee shop owner. Neither Bowman nor the other Republican challenger, Brian Frank, have held public office before, but they aim to contest Pureval's reelection in the heavily Democratic city. Pureval, a Democratic up-and-comer and former special assistant U.S. attorney, won the 2021 mayor’s race with nearly 66% of the vote. The election's low turnout can lead to unexpected results, as seen in past Cincinnati mayoral races. Additionally, voters in Ohio will decide on State Issue 2, which seeks to reauthorize a $2.5 billion program for local infrastructure projects over the next decade.

Dive Deeper:

• Cincinnati's nonpartisan mayoral primary features Mayor Aftab Pureval facing challenges from Cory Bowman, JD Vance's half brother, and Brian Frank, a procurement professional. Both challengers lack prior public office experience but are motivated to prevent an unopposed reelection bid for Pureval in the predominantly Democratic city.

• Cory Bowman, an evangelical pastor and coffee shop owner, was inspired to enter politics following his half brother JD Vance's inauguration as Vice President. Although related to Vance, Bowman emphasizes his focus on local city improvement rather than national politics.

• Aftab Pureval, considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, has a background as a special assistant U.S. attorney and previously served as a congressional candidate and Hamilton County clerk of courts. He won the 2021 mayoral election with a significant majority.

• Cincinnati's mayoral elections have historically seen low voter turnout, which has sometimes resulted in surprising outcomes, as demonstrated by previous elections where favored candidates did not always win.

• Apart from the mayoral race, Ohio voters will also cast their votes on State Issue 2, a significant measure that proposes the reauthorization of a $2.5 billion program dedicated to funding essential infrastructure projects like roads and bridges over the next decade.