NEW YORK — Rep. Jamaal Bowman was trounced in a suburban New York race that became a referendum on progressives’ attitudes toward Israel and the most expensive House primary in U.S. history.
Moderate Democrat George Latimer bested Bowman Tuesday, making Bowman the first member of the Squad to lose an election since the far-left group formed in 2018. Latimer, a challenger who ran like an incumbent, benefited from an unprecedented flood of outside cash in a primary fueled by allegations of racism and the party’s sharp divide over the Israel-Hamas war.
A leading pro-Israel group spent more than $14 million on TV ads to unseat him. And as the results rolled in, it became clear that AIPAC and its super PAC United Democracy Project had succeeded in making an example of the two-term member of Congress for routinely criticizing the Israeli offensive in Gaza. Still, many of the TV ads attacking Bowman or praising Latimer made scant mention of Israel and instead focused on infrastructure spending and other issues of local concern.
The House district, which includes affluent suburban communities and diverse urban neighborhoods, is not expected to be in play for Republicans in November, making Bowman’s defeat a triumph for centrist Democrats. Since the recent rise of progressives, Latimer and his fellow moderates have sought to drag the party back to the middle, especially when it comes to Israel policy.
AIPAC and its super PAC have spent heavily across the country in a bid to unseat other critics of Israel, but nowhere did they anticipate such an advantage as Bowman’s district, with a large Jewish population.
The AIPAC-aligned United Democracy Project in a statement vowed to replicate its backing of Latimer against Israel critics across the country.
“Latimer’s victory is another example of how support for the U.S.-Israel alliance is both good policy and good politics,” the group said. “UDP will continue to support leaders who promote our partnership with Israel and oppose detractors, regardless of political party.”
Bowman, who was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, was first elected in a progressive wave in 2020 — defeating longtime Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel.
This time, his critics encouraged registered Republicans and people not enrolled in a party to become Democrats in order to participate in the closed-party primary. And a coalition that backs the interests of yeshivas spent more than $1 million throughout the race to register 2,000 Republicans and independents as Democrats.
Bowman has called for a cease-fire and criticized President Joe Biden for providing weapons to Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas. He also questioned whether sexual violence occurred during those attacks and later apologized.
And Latimer himself charted a cautious approach toward Israel.
He traveled to the country at the end of 2023 shortly before declaring his bid for the House seat. He has also condemned Hamas for the civilian deaths in Gaza as Israel bombarded the enclave and pressed for a return of hostages kidnapped during the October attack. But Latimer has been careful not to criticize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for much of the campaign and declined to weigh in on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s call for a new Israeli government.
DMFI PAC, which spent $425,000 on TV ads boosting Latimer’s bid, called his victory the outcome of “smart politics” on both Israel as well as core Democratic Party concerns.
“These results also validate President Biden’s vision of a mainstream and inclusive Democratic Party as well as the Biden-Latimer approach — bringing people together to achieve important results like the infrastructure law that is rebuilding our crumbling roads, bridges and water systems,” DMFI PAC chair Mark Mellman said.
Allies of Latimer insisted Israel was only one factor in their argument against Bowman, a former middle school principal. Bowman’s antagonists charged he was not present in the district during his two terms and that his pulling of a fire alarm during a House vote was an embarrassment. His vote against a key infrastructure spending package became fodder for during the campaign as well.
Latimer, the Westchester County executive, has spent decades in local and state elected office making him a familiar face for Democratic voters and an unusually formidable primary challenger to an incumbent lawmaker. He received endorsements from an array of party officials, elected leaders and local labor unions.
Bowman came into the race with some big advantages: The district lines were redrawn slightly in his favor and House Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York endorsed him — but offered little visible support after.
That was left in the final days of the race to prominent left-leaning Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who rallied with Bowman on Saturday.
Bowman insisted his campaign was built around lower-income people of color in the district who have been ignored by elected officials. He drew support from a constellation of left-leaning organizations that play key roles in progressive politics, including the Working Families Party and Make the Road Action.
The WFP on Tuesday said it spent $506,000 on advertising — a fraction of the money that poured in to aid Latimer’s challenge. Combined, Bowman-allied organizations spent $1.75 million.
And in the homestretch, Bowman said AIPAC and its backing of Latimer was “fueled by racist MAGA Republicans.”
“I’m an outspoken Black man,” Bowman said during the final TV debate on PIX11. “His supporters don’t want that, because it challenges their power.”
Bowman backers acknowledged that Latimer’s retail politicking skills and the massive spending on his behalf create an imposing challenge. But they also insisted the success against one Squad member will be hard to duplicate in other parts of the country.
“They found an old-time elected official who was willing to be bought,” Working Families Party Co-Chair Ana María Archila said. “But they will not be able to replicate that everywhere.”
