Last night, Jamaal Bowman lost his election to George Latimer, a longtime local politician who was effectively called to serve by Jewish community leaders in the district. Bowman’s loss is broadly attributed to his pro-Palestine views, as an American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) affiliated super PAC spent $14.5 million on ads stressing his anti-Israel stances to ensure high voter turnout against him. Jewish leaders also organized a voter registration drive of non-Democrats to vote in the race.
Latimer is a former state legislator and served as an executive of Westchester County since 2018. In early 2023, local rabbis released an open letter with the headline, “13 NY rabbis to Jamaal Bowman: Quit your anti-Israel charades.” They released another letter after the October 7th attack begging Latimer to primary Bowman. Following this, several of these same Jewish community leaders organized a voter mobilization effort that registered independents and Republicans as Democrats so they could vote against Bowman.
Data firm AdImpact claims that $23 million spent was spent on the race, making it the most expensive House primary election of all time.
The #NY16 primary is one week away. It's seen over $23M in spending and reservations, making it the most expensive House primary ever.
Here's an updated look at top spending advertisers, as AIPAC-affiliated group United Democracy Project makes up 61% of total spending. pic.twitter.com/DGpQXJNtiG
— AdImpact Politics (@AdImpact_Pol) June 18, 2024
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Shortly after winning in 2021, Bowman took a trip to Israel paid for by the liberal Zionist J Street, which had the opposite of the intended effect: he came away vociferously anti-Zionist. “There are streets they cannot walk and places they cannot go, simply because they are Palestinian,” he said, adding, “When I asked about their dreams, their answer was simple: freedom. The occupation must end.”
Immediately after the Oct. 7th attack, Bowman condemned Hamas. But he was one of the first Representatives to call for a ceasefire and continuously opposed military aid to Israel since the war broke out. J Street attempted to stand behind him, but formally revoked their endorsement in January, saying there were “significant differences between us in framing and approach.”
“I’m an outspoken person of color. I’m an outspoken Black man. I fight against genocide in Gaza, and I fight for justice right here,” Bowman said during a debate with Latimer. “And his supporters don’t want that because it challenges their power.”
In response, the Zionist lobby spent $17,000 an hour on TV ads, mass mailings, and “clogging phone lines with caustic attacks” per The New York Times. According to the Times, AIPAC spent more on this race than has ever been spent by any other interest group on a single House race. AIPAC is pursuing similar attacks against candidates that do not support more funding for their war against Gaza in primary elections across the US, including more than $400,000 against Rep. Thomas Massie’s (R) race in Kentucky, about $1.5 million against Rep. Cori Bush (D) in Missouri, and more than $1 million against Brandon Herrera (R) in Texas.
“Assuming the outcome is as we expect it, the message is going to be that being pro-Israel is not just wise policy, it’s smart politics,” Mark Mellman said ahead of the election, a left-wing analyst whose group, Democratic Majority for Israel, spent $1 million against Bowman.
Shane Devine is a writer covering politics and business for VT and a regular guest on The Unusual Suspects. Follow Shane’s work here.
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