Former Covington City Commissioner Jerry Bamberger has ended his campaign to return to City Hall.
Bamberger, 71, was first elected to the city commission in 1992 and served through 2008. He was convicted on a misdemeanor campaign charge for his role in a flyer that circulated on Election Day 2008 that targeted then-candidate Shawn Masters. The flyers did not disclose who paid for them and also landed then-Commissioner Steve Megerle and former candidate Craig Johnson in court on the same charge.
Bamberger did not seek reelection that year, Johnson lost, Megerle was elected and later resigned, and Masters was elected and served two terms.
Bamberger was also the longtime director of the Mainstrasse Village Association.
His wife, Babs, passed away earlier this year, not long after the Latonia resident announced his candidacy in January.
“Over the past few years, instead of addressing the important issues of our city, the current commission has drawn more attention for their lack of civility toward each other than for their accomplishments as the city’s governing body,” Bamberger said at the time of his campaign announcement. “This must change. The citizens of Covington deserve better and that’s why I’m running for Covington City Commission.”
Bamberger told the Cincinnati Enquirer that he was withdrawing for personal reasons. “My wife passed away six weeks ago, and my heart’s just not in (a political race),” Bamberger told the paper. “My wife and I were married 37 years, and we did everything together. I can’t do justice to running a campaign right now.”
At time of the filing deadline in January, sixteen candidates had entered the race for four seats on the Covington City Commission. Second-time candidate Greg Paeth withdrew in early February.
The fourteen candidates still in the race include all four incumbents, Chuck Eilerman, Steve Frank, Mildred Rains, and Michelle Williams, and ten challengers, Warner Allen, Christi Blair, Chas Brannen, Michael Gene Brosmore, Thomas Dorning, Jordan Huizenga, Danny Jackson, G. Scot Jones, Brandon Mims, and Bill Wells.
The primary election on May 20 will cut the field to eight who will advance to compete for four seats and two-year terms in November.
