New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a notorious critic of Israel, will lose his Democratic primary to Westchester County Executive George Latimer, CNN and multiple other networks projected on Tuesday night.
His defeat is a first for a member of the so-called “Squad” of progressive lawmakers who are known for their anti-Israel stance.
The result in New York’s 16th Congressional District is also a victory for pro-Israel groups, which backed Latimer with historic levels of spending during the campaign.
Bowman, 48, was first elected in 2020 after unseating longtime Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel.
Latimer, 70, a Democratic political fixture for decades, argued that Bowman’s vocal opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza and his combative political style were out of step with the electorate.
Bowman has in the past spearheaded an initiative by 14 Democrats who urged the Biden administration to ensure US taxpayer funds are not supporting “Israeli settlements projects”, and to determine whether US military aid is in violation of the Arms Export Control Act or the so-called “Leahy Law.”
Last year, he joined other members of “The Squad” in boycotting President Isaac Herzog's address to a joint session of Congress.
More recently, a video surfaced of Bowman claiming that the accusations that Hamas terrorists committed acts of rape and beheaded babies during the massacre of October 7 were "lies". He subsequently apologized for the comments.