Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman is fighting for his political survival as New York voters head to the polls for the Democratic primary.
The far-left Squad member is locked in a controversial primary against George Latimer, with opinion polls showing him hanging by a thread.
The primaries will test whether his support for the Palestinians, his angry criticism of Israel and his progressive policies will lead to his downfall in his Bronx and Westchester districts.
Bowman is seeking a third term in a primary that has seen historic levels of spending, with the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) pouring $15 million into the campaign against him.
“We’re gonna show goddamn AIPAC, the power of the goddamn South Bronx!” Bowman shouted Saturday during a meeting with fellow progressive “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Democratic Socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman is fighting for his political survival as voters in New York head to the polls for the Democratic primaries. He campaigned Monday with fellow squad members Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Ayanna Pressley in Mount Vernon
Bowman has long been critical of Israel — especially since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, despite the fact that his district has a large Jewish constituency.
The former director who once pulled the fire alarm in the Capitol during votes has lost the support of at least one colleague: Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., came out Monday in support of Latimer.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also joined Latimer’s side.
a questionnaire from earlier this month by Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill, released Tuesday, showed Latimer Bowman leading with 48 percent support to 31 percent, with 21 percent of respondents undecided.
Bowman opposed funding for Israel and considers the country’s attacks in Gaza a “genocide.”
Squad member Bowman is seeking a third term in a controversial primary against George Latimer, above, and the full forces of AIPAC are running against him — their super PAC has invested $15 million in the race
In a final debate with Latimer on Tuesday, Bowman, 48, who is Black, went after Latimer over his close ties to AIPAC and claimed he had taken a slow approach to desegregation as Westchester County executive.
“He claims to be a Democrat, but he is supported by racist MAGA Republicans who support taking away your right to vote – undermining your abortion rights,” Bowman said.
“This is an example of using race as a weapon,” Latimer responded. “What we need to do is bring people together.”
Last week, Bowman came under fire for a new report claiming he asked a Jewish leader to send him photos of them together to prove he had Jewish friends.
A private text between Bowman and an unknown Jewish leader, dating back to when Bowman first ran for re-election in 2022, was published by Jewish insider on Tuesday.
Bowman visited the Bronx’s Edenwald neighborhood in the pouring rain to plead with residents to support him in the primaries
Bowman has the support of progressives such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders
The former director who once pulled the fire alarm in the Capitol during votes has lost the support of at least one colleague: Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., came out Monday in support of Latimer
‘Do you have any pictures of us? So I can show the world that I am friends with the Jewish people,” Bowman wrote, according to the report.
The leader did have a photo with Bowman, but did not share it with the congressman.
“I felt uncomfortable,” the Jewish leader said of the uncomfortable message. “I joked with him about it a little bit. I said, ‘Oh, I’m sure you guys have it. Don’t worry about it.’
“I was like, ‘I don’t want to be his court Jew,’” he said. “I didn’t sign up for that.”