Realtors pick Pepper for mayor, 7 for council

The Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors made its endorsements for mayor and council today.

For mayor: David Pepper.

Realtors Board President Geoffrey W. Barnes said Pepper would move the city "in the right direction where Cincinnati stops losing population and becomes a safer and more livable city."

For City Council: Jeff Berding, Chris Bortz, Laketa Cole, John Cranley, Leslie Ghiz, Sam Malone and Chris Monzel. That's three Democrats, three Republicans and a Charterite.

Pepper's opponent, Mark Mallory, has gotten the support of the Realtors as a state senator and has made his endorsements a key indicator of his ability to build consensus.

"Endorsements go that way. They have to pick somebody," he said.

"Some elections you'll have a group, and sometimes you won't," he said. "Endorsements are important, and it's good to see that David has gotten some."