Bye, Bye Bowman
On Tuesday, New York District 16 said goodbye to Rep. Jamaal Bowman. Why?
House progressive “Squad” member Rep. Jamaal Bowman lost his primary race in New York’s 16th District on Tuesday. Mr. Bowman’s defeat makes him the first of the famous House “Squad” to lose their seat to a primary opponent.
Naturally, press attention is turning to how such a thing could happen. Rep. Bowman was elected on a wave of popular sentiment in 2020, running on a social justice platform and unseating a popular, long-time Democrat in the bargain.
Rep. Bowman easily won reelection in 2022. What changed?
“It’s Not Just AIPAC: How Jamaal Bowman Alienated Voters Who Once Supported Him,” revealed Daniel Marans for HuffPost over the weekend.
“The topline story of the race is, understandably, pro-Israel groups’ record-breaking spending against Bowman, a passionate pro-Palestinian advocate who has dubbed Israel’s invasion of Gaza a ‘genocide,’” began Marans. “Super PACs backing Bowman’s challenger, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, have outspent pro-Bowman super PACs on the airwaves by a 9-to-1 margin, helping make it the most expensive House primary in history. The independent spending arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee alone has spent $14.6 million on television, digital and direct-mail advertisements.”