The 43-year-old was first elected into office in 2021, defeating fellow Democrat David Mann with about 66% of the vote. In the May primary, he finished with more than 82% of the vote, far ahead of Bowman, who finished in second with only about 13% of the vote.
But since that primary, a summer of violent crime changed the focus of the race into public safety. From fatal shootings to a brawl that garnered national attention, Pureval and city leaders were forced to confront rising crime statistics, creating safety plans to address ongoing violence and getting help from the state.
Just weeks before Election Day, the city put Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge on administrative leave as a third-party firm investigates “the effectiveness of her leadership.”
When we spoke to Pureval before the election, he identified public safety as priorities “one, two and three” for his second term.
“I say that it is unacceptable, that it is a problem, and that I take full responsibility. I’m the mayor. It’s on me,” Pureval said. “But what I want to communicate to the public is that I very clearly understand that this is the biggest challenge facing our city, and we will stop at nothing to correct it.”
Pureval said his other focuses include affordable housing and city services like pothole repairs and snow removal after a brutal winter revealed glaring issues with the city’s plans.
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