New York’s 16th Congressional District is a Democrat stronghold for house races in the general election. However, this year, its primary is attracting a lot of attention and outside money. Incumbent Congressman Jamaal Bowman is fighting for his political life as George Latimer, a centrist Democrat and Westchester County executive, is running, and running ahead of Bowman. Primary Election Day is June 25th, and this is a litmus test to see how “progressive” is too progressive for Democrats.

At 70 years old, Latimer is a well-known name in the district, and his reason for a primary challenge was to be a more pragmatic, middle-of-the-ground representative, unlike Congressman Bowman, who is more worried about stardom than representing his constituents. So far, the voters are speaking up.

With early voting underway, a conglomerate of polls of likely Democrat primary voters shows Latimer earning 48% while Bowman trails him by 17 points with just 31%; still, 21% haven’t made a decision yet. Bowman’s approval rating sits around 51%, with 43% disapproving, but Latimer, by contrast, receives 65% favorability with only 23% disapproving.

The number one issue facing voters is the economy, with an emphasis on jobs, inflation, and taxes being the focus. Still, interestingly enough, the Israel-Hamas war is becoming a central issue for the campaign. The district incorporates Westchester County and some areas in the north Bronx, a densely populated area for Jewish constituents. This race is a civil war between the pro-Israel Democrats and far-left radicals for Palestine.

Latimer is a defender of Israel but doesn’t believe in sending a blank check; he also believes that the Israeli and Palestinian leaders need to hammer out a two-state solution. By contrast, Rep. Bowman is one of Israel’s fiercest critics as he supports an immediate ceasefire and accused Israel of “genocide” in Gaza. Many of his past comments are rooted in terroristic propaganda, having previously denied Hamas’s violent rape of Israeli women on October 7th.

His most dimwitted moment came earlier this year when he pulled the fire alarm to delay a vote and avoid a government shutdown. The House then censured him for his actions, even though the former middle school principal claimed his actions were innocent.

Fortunately for Latimer, his campaign has taken advantage of these gaffes by outraising his opponent $5.8 million to Bowman’s $4.3 million since June 5th. Pro-Israel groups such as AIPAC endorsed Latimer for Congress and spent around $12 million on radio ads. In comparison, the Latimer campaign has spent $2.54 million on ads casting Jamaal Bowman as out-of-the-mainstream for Democrats.

Bowman entered Congress in 2020 and immediately joined the “The Squad”, which are the most progressive members of Congress. He advocates for socialized medicine, the Green New Deal, and aggressive taxation. His endorsements include Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and fellow New Yorker, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who called this election her most pressing electoral priority.

Latimer also received a significant endorsement from former Secretary of State and Westchester resident Hillary Clinton. Clinton threw her support behind Latimer, further dividing Clinton and Washington progressives. Still, it also gave Latimer momentum in his district as he looked to bring in more establishment Democrat voters.

In another surprise move, former New York Democrat Congressman Mondaire Jones, who is running for office again, endorsed Latimer over Bowman. Jones and Bowman served in the Congressional Black Caucus, and this move was a fatal blow to Bowman’s reelection chances and helped Latimer increase his support among black voters in the district.

As the election draws near, the campaign is taking a nasty turn. In an interview with Politico, Mr. Bowman took a cheap shot at Latimer saying, “He’s in the pocket of Republican billionaires who want to take our voting rights, our reproductive rights, affirmative action and who are racist[.]”

In a recent debate, Mr. Latimer called Congressman Bowman’s bogus attacks desperate, saying, “If he had a stronger record as congressman, he wouldn’t have to attack me.” The New York Post editorial endorsement described George Latimer as a “solid, straightforward longtime public servant, a mainstream New York Democrat who promises to work across the aisle.” When contrasted with Bowman, who is described as “race-obsessed”, a “two-faced liar”, and having “delivered nothing meaningful to the district.”

Republicans do not have a conservative candidate in this race; however, a Bowman defeat would be welcome, especially if Republicans maintain the House. They will need as many cross-over votes as possible, and it will help bring equilibrium to Congress. A resounding loss for Bowman also sends a message to other progressive Democrats that their shenanigans will no longer be tolerated, even in a blue district in New York.

Image: Public domain.