Rep. Jamaal Bowman, one of the most liberal members of Congress, will try to fight off a strong Democratic primary challenge Tuesday from moderate county executive George Latimer in a New York race that has put a spotlight on the party’s divides over the Israel-Hamas war.
Latimer got into the race at the urging of Jewish leaders upset with Bowman’s criticism of Israel.
An exorbitant amount of money, mostly tied to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, has flooded into the race to oppose Bowman after he accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, where over 37,000 Palestinians have been killed. Bowman also opposed a symbolic House resolution to support Israel after the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.
AIPAC’s allied super PAC has spent nearly $15 million on the primary, according to Federal Election Commission records. The cash paid for a torrent of ads attacking Bowman, who has accused the influential pro-Israel lobbying group of trying to buy the race in the mostly suburban district north of New York City.
A Bowman loss would disrupt what has generally been a stable primary season for congressional incumbents. Most current members of Congress have been able to repel challenges from within their party, though GOP Rep. Bob Good is in a tight contest with a rival backed by Donald Trump in a race that is too close to call.
Some major progressive figures have rushed to Bowman’s defense. In the final stretch of the race, he rallied with liberal darlings Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, while Latimer pulled in the endorsement of former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
The winner of the primary will be the prohibitive favorite to win in the general election. The district, which includes parts of Westchester County and a small piece of the Bronx, is a Democratic stronghold.
The primary fight has emerged as a case study of where Democratic voters might stand on Israel and exposed the ever-simmering…
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