Progressive tensions exploded amid Jones-Bowman split

Tensions among progressives are spilling over into public view after former Rep. Mondaire Jones (DN.Y.) entered one of the House’s most contentious primaries earlier this week.

Jones, a former darling of the left in the House, has endorsed progressive Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s (DN.Y.) primary opponent in the June 25 race to represent New York’s 16th Congressional District, citing Bowman’s stance on Israel as the main reason.

The move unleashed fury within its ranks. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.) criticized Jones, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC rescinded its endorsement of him. The developments come as Jones is running for a seat in a different New York City district this fall.

The fallout has revealed divisions on the left, as members grapple with the thorny politics of the war between Israel and Hamas, in a state that could prove key to control of the lower house.

“I think New York politics especially rewards a kind of calculating opportunism that Mondaire Jones perfected,” said a progressive strategist familiar with the dynamics of the race.

“Now he’s kneeing another progressive out of fear that if he doesn’t, he himself will become a target. Mondaire’s main political concern has never been who will best defend democratic values, it has been what Mondaire thinks is best for himself,” the source added.

Progressives on and off Capitol Hill have angered Jones, who is seeking a separate seat in the 17th District, after welcoming him to their coalition as a new talent in 2021. He was elected as part of a group of young and diverse liberal leaders in New York, which expanded Ocasio-Cortez’s legacy of insurgent success and helped expand progressive ranks in the House.

Bowman was in the same field that year. The former high school principal became the first man to join the “squad” and has been a supporter of some of the most fervent left-wing positions among House Democrats, proving his bona fides to the progressive wing that favors the tests of ideological purity.

Although Jones never technically joined the “squad,” he became a reliable progressive vote and did not hesitate to criticize President Biden after defeating former President Trump, including criticizing him in the White House over voting rights, in a a measure that earned him credit on the left. Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) called Jones “squad-adjacent” in a recent interview with Politico.

In a sign of the changing political dynamics of this cycle, Jones has pushed back sharply on that label. In an interview with CNN on Friday, he denied having been “adjacent to the team”, saying that he “has always been a pragmatist and an independent voice in defense of my values”.

This favor, however, appears to have ended. After Jones made the surprise move to support Bowman’s primary challenger — Westchester County Executive George Latimer, who is funded by AIPAC — his former allies quickly turned against him.

Progressives denounce Latimer’s campaign as a vain effort to remove Bowman from office in his Westchester-Bronx district after he expressed criticism of the Israeli government and its military’s handling of Gaza. Latimer is decidedly pro-Israel, while Bowman has repeatedly called for a ceasefire and referred to Israel as an “apartheid state,” a term that Israel supporters find offensive and inaccurate.

Jones said his support for Latimer is a sign of alliance with Jewish New Yorkers, which he suggested Bowman does not embrace. “I am making this endorsement to advocate for my Jewish constituents because Rep. Bowman and I have very different views on Israel,” he said in a statement after the Progressive Caucus PAC rescinded its endorsement.

AIPAC and other pro-Israel groups echoed that sentiment and supported Latimer, who made a personal trip to Israel to show his commitment to the country. An AIPAC spokesperson declined to comment on the race.

Jones’ endorsement, ostensibly against his own wing of the party, came as a shock to many progressives and made clear that Israel has become one of the most critical tests among Democrats following the Palestinian group’s October 7 attack.

Progressive leaders who considered Jones one of their own were quick to condemn his encouragement of Latimer, especially since Democrats have only a slim chance of regaining control of the House and view every seat as critical to their calculus. Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the CPC, told NBC News that she was “disgusted” by Jones’ actions.

Several organizers called a conference call with activists on Bowman’s behalf, seeking to educate the public about what’s at stake and the strategy to keep him in office. And high-profile progressives have publicly expressed their support for him.

“I’m not surprised that Congressman Mondaire Jones did what he did because he bought and paid like all the other crooks who take money from AIPAC,” said Nina Turner, who served on Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) co-campaign. president.

Turner added that she is “pleasantly surprised” that the Congressional Progressive Caucus is “showing courage.”

This isn’t the first time progressives have been forced to close ranks around Bowman. Late last year, Bowman was censured by the GOP-controlled House and investigated after setting off a fire alarm during a vote to prevent a government shutdown.

Many of those who supported him then are doing the same now. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who like Bowman is a former educator, endorsed him this week, while the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the Working Families Party also supported his re-election bid.

Organizers also sought to highlight Bowman’s strength in defending liberal issues such as a fair wage and working-class mobility, when special interests, they say, continue to dominate contentious primary battles within the party.

“We can’t continue to elect people who are too afraid to stand up to billionaires,” UAW President Shawn Fain wrote on social platform X in support of Bowman, as divisions became more pronounced throughout the week.

At this point in the race, Bowman faces considerable obstacles. A March poll from the DMFI-funded Mellman Group, which endorsed Latimer, shows Latimer with 52 percent support, compared to Bowman’s 35 percent. Another Upswing Research poll conducted the same month shows Bowman with a 1-point lead over his rival, 44% to 43%.

Democrats who want to see Bowman succeed recognize the challenges that lie ahead, with strong feelings toward Israel still dictating how both candidates are viewed in the city.

“Unfortunately, this is the kind of thing that hurts progressives, and right now, Bowman faces dire odds,” the progressive strategist said.

“It doesn’t look like he’ll be able to overcome this, and the end result will be yet another corporate Dem getting along, warming a seat for decades.”

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story