U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) — one of the most far-left representatives in Congress and a member of the Progressive Caucus — has lost his primary election to a moderate challenger. George Latimer, a Westchester County executive, defeated Bowman after a contentious primary race widely viewed as a battle between ideological factions of the Democratic Party.
Bowman had aligned himself with the “ceasefire now” movement, which calls for an end to hostilities in the Gaza Strip and accuses Israel of being complicit in genocide. Millions of dollars poured into the race from both inside and outside the district, making it the most expensive House primary in history. According to an analysis from ad tracking firm AdImpact, more than $25 million was spent overall.
Roughly $15 million came from the United Democracy Project, a super PAC linked to the powerful pro-Israel lobby American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which backed Latimer. Bowman had also closely aligned himself with the party’s progressive wing on a range of issues. Last weekend, the embattled congressman was joined by New York colleague Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) at a rally supporting his candidacy.
The effort ultimately failed to make a difference, however, as the race was called for Latimer less than two hours after polls closed. Bowman had also been battling a number of scandals, the most notable being the time he was criminally charged for pulling a fire alarm ahead of a key congressional vote on a budget resolution. He claimed that he thought pulling the alarm would open a door and ultimately forced an evacuation of the Cannon Building on Capitol Hill.
Despite the effort, the race was called for Latimer less than two hours after polls closed. Bowman had also been embroiled in several scandals, the most notable being his criminal charge for pulling a fire alarvm ahead of a key congressional vote on a budget resolution. He claimed he thought pulling the alarm would open a door, which ultimately forced an evacuation of the Cannon Building on Capitol Hill. Bowman ultimately escaped with a slap on the wrist after writing an apology essay.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.