• Cory Bowman, half-brother of US VP JD Vance, advances to Cincinnati's mayoral election.
• He received approximately 13% of the vote in the primary, while Aftab Pureval garnered around 83%.
• Bowman's campaign focuses on local issues and public safety.
• This city has not elected a Republican mayor in over 50 years.
• JD Vance endorsed Bowman on social media, but clarified that he is not directly involved in the campaign.

Cory Bowman, the half-brother of US Vice President JD Vance, has advanced to the general election for Cincinnati's mayor after finishing second in a primary election. Despite securing only around 13% of the primary vote, he managed to place second ahead of third-place Republican Brian Frank, whose 4.6% led to his elimination. The incumbent mayor, Aftab Pureval, dominated the primary with approximately 83% of the support, indicating a challenging path ahead for Bowman in the predominantly Democratic electorate of Cincinnati, where no Republican has held the mayoral office in over 50 years, according to BBC and Newsweek.

Bowman, a registered Republican and co-founder of an evangelical church, aims to separate his political identity from that of his brother, stating in an interview, "As far as the relationship with JD, I tell people he's my brother, he's not a political counsellor to me." His campaign has themes of community service, infrastructure improvement, and increasing public safety. Despite his political inexperience, he has pledged to focus on local concerns, steering clear of the national political landscape, according to India Times and HuffPost.

With a professional background that includes co-owning a coffee shop and serving as a pastor, Bowman has positioned his campaign to address issues significant to Cincinnati residents. He has highlighted the necessity to repeal the city's sanctuary city status and tackle financial corruption. Bowman's enthusiasm for running is deeply rooted in personal inspiration from witnessing his brother's inauguration as Vice President, a sentiment captured in several interviews, including one with the Associated Press, reports India Times and NPR.

Despite facing an uphill battle against the seasoned incumbent Pureval, regarded as a rising Democratic star, Bowman remains hopeful. He acknowledged the difficulties in competing in Cincinnati's strongly Democratic landscape but expressed his focus on presenting a choice to voters. Pureval, who commented on the need for a "substantive and healthy debate" about the city's future, is seen as the favorite in this election cycle, according to India Times and HuffPost.