“Squad” Democrats are going all in for Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) as he faces a competitive primary at the end of the month, with some donating thousands to attack his opponent as the race attracts millions in outside spending.
Bowman is facing Westchester County Executive George Latimer in the June 25 primary, a contest that has grown messy as the congressman continues to lose endorsements and support from Jewish groups and their allies over his defense of pro-Palestinian protests and calls for a ceasefire in Gaza.
His perceived anti-Israel stance has led the American Isreal Public Affairs Committee, one of the largest pro-Israel fundraising groups, to pour nearly $2 million into Latimer’s campaign — the most it has raised for any congressional candidate. The group is also on track to spend nearly $25 million in the race.
Outside spending in the primary for New York’s 16th Congressional District has hit over $11.3 million, according to Federal Election Commission filings, with most of the money going toward pro-Latimer and anti-Bowman ads.
To beat back the flood of funds from pro-Israel groups, some Squad members are donating their own campaign funds to assist Bowman in his primary.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) has given $500,000 to Justice Democrats’ expenditure arm, which is focusing on protecting Bowman and Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) from AIPAC, per Semafor. The Justice Democrats’ PAC filed on Tuesday that it would spend $250,000 in TV ad buys supporting Bowman.
Other progressive lawmakers are rallying behind Bowman as well. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is hosting a “GOTV Rally” in the Bronx to garner support ahead of the primary, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is expected to be in attendance.
In a Tuesday poll from Emerson College, Latimer holds a significant lead over the incumbent, 48% to Bowman’s 31%. Bowman’s unfavorability rate sits at 43% compared to Latimer’s 23%.
Bowman’s race is considered a top priority, according to Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), so much so that the CPC’s PAC recently rescinded its endorsement of former Democratic Rep. Mondaire Jones, who endorsed Latimer over his former colleague. Jones said his decision to endorse Latimer over Bowman was due to his “very different views on Israel” compared to the incumbent.
Jayapal said last week that she was “so disgusted” by Jones’s decision and reaffirmed the caucus’s support of Bowman.
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“He thinks it’s obviously politically expedient, but I don’t,” Jayapal said of Jones. “And it’s not the way we operate as progressives.
“We can’t be inconsistent where we have a top-priority incumbent that we’re spending money on, and one of our candidates … who is attacking that person,” the CPC chairwoman continued. “So we stand firmly behind Jamaal Bowman — we’re going to do everything we can to help Jamaal win. And I hope we have Jamaal back in Congress.”
