Representative. Jamaal BowmanDN.Y., became the first member of the progressive group of House lawmakers known as “the squad” to lose a primary challenge in the 2024 cycle on Tuesday night, after suffering a bruising defeat to a candidate more moderate Democrat in his Bronx. – area district.
Bowman, 48, lost to Westchester County Executive George Latimer70, in a high-profile race that largely hinged on the two Democratic candidates’ opposing views on the Israel-Hamas war.
A second-term representative and former public high school principal, Bowman has been a vocal critic of Israel’s handling of the war and the Biden administration’s continued support for aid to the country. He accused Israeli authorities of committing genocide and was an early advocate of a ceasefire in the war.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobbying group that supports Republican and Democratic candidates, spent millions against Bowman in the race, including donations of more than $1.5 million to Latimer’s campaign.
At a rally just days before the election, Bowman suggested that his supporters would show AIPAC “the power” of the South Bronx. His district primarily encompasses the North Bronx, Yonkers and parts of Westchester County.
Throughout the primary race, Latimer and other Bowman critics have also criticized the progressive Democrat for a series of controversial comments and incidents, including a moment at the Capitol last year when he pulled a fire alarm in a House office building, triggering an emergency evacuation.
Bowman said at the time that he did so because he “didn’t want to lose votes to keep the government funded.” The congressman pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, paid a $1,000 fine and served three months probation, while the House censured the New York lawmaker.
The future of the ‘squad‘
Bowman’s defeat marks a defeat for the Squad, the handful of progressive lawmakers who first rose to prominence during former President Donald Trump’s tenure. In April, Rep. Summer Lee, D-PA, a member of the squad, fended off a challenge in her Pittsburgh-area district from a moderate candidate who criticized her opposition to providing additional U.S. military aid to Israel.
AIPAC contributed to the efforts against Lee during the 2022 midterms, but was left out of the race this year. And unlike Bowman, Lee has received support from prominent establishment Democrats, including Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania, one of the most pro-Israel Democrats in Congress, and President Joe Biden. Representative Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan, also defeated her primary opponents in the spring who expressed greater support for Israel.
But at least one other member of the tight-knit group faces a tough race this year, in which AIPAC donations could play a role.
Second-term Progressive Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., will face St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell in the Aug. 6 primary. donated more than $630,000 for Bell’s campaign. O limited voting available in the race showed Bell with a 20-point lead over Bush ahead of the Missouri elections.
This article originally appeared in USA TODAY: Jamaal Bowman’s defeat in the primary marks the ‘squad’s’ first defeat in 2024
