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By: Jared Evan
The chairman of the New York State Democratic Party, Jay Jacobs, recently gave glowing remarks about George Latimer, the primary opponent of far left extremist Rep. Jamaal Bowman, but notably refrained from commenting on Bowman himself, The NY Post reported.
Jacobs, who has a strong alliance with Governor Kathy Hochul and leads the Nassau County Democrats, expressed confidence in Latimer, the Westchester County Executive.
“If elected, George Latimer would make an excellent congressman,” Jacobs told The NY Post on Monday. When asked about Bowman, Jacobs simply replied, “No comment.”
Bowman, a former middle school principal from the Bronx, is running for a third term in the 16th House district, which includes southern Westchester and parts of the northern Bronx. Jacobs highlighted his long-standing friendship with Latimer, emphasizing their collaboration on various issues important to both suburban and urban New Yorkers.
Despite not formally endorsing Latimer, insiders suggest Jacobs clearly favors him in the upcoming June 25 primary. This comes amid increasing scrutiny of Bowman, who has faced backlash for his anti-Israel statements and other controversial actions, The NY Post noted
Bowman recently secured the endorsement of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a group known for its anti-Israel, anti-white, anti-Jewish, anti-law enforcement, anti-ICE and pro crime positions, as well as support from the Working Families Party, another Marxist tinged group of radicals.
In response, pro-Israel organizations, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), are investing heavily to defeat Bowman, funding aggressive TV ads critical of the incumbent. Latimer has positioned himself as a strong supporter of Israel, contrasting sharply with Bowman’s contentious and Pro terrorist views, NY Post reported
Last November, Bowman sparked controversy by referring to Israel as an “apartheid” state and disputing reports of rapes and child murders during the October 7 attacks, which he labeled as “lies.”
He later under pressure from sane people retracted these comments after accusations of spreading Hamas propaganda. In a recent debate, Bowman defended the phrase “From the river to the sea,” often seen as a call for the eradication of Israel, while Latimer condemned it as antisemitic and genocidal.
Bowman has received backing from fellow “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose district neighbors his, as well as from state Sen. Jamaal Bailey, the Bronx Democratic Party chairman. On the other hand, Latimer enjoys support from the Westchester Democratic Party establishment, as well as from pro-Israel and Jewish Democrats.
Bowman’s challenges are not limited to his political rhetoric and positions. The Republican-led House voted in December to censure him for pulling a fire alarm in a Capitol Hill office building on September 30 to delay a vote on averting a government shutdown. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count on October 26 for falsely pulling the fire alarm and agreed to pay a $1,000 fine, asserting it was an accident.
Bowman is part of the far-left group of House members known as “The Squad,” which includes Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, and Cori Bush of Missouri.
Despite repeated attempts, The Post did not receive an immediate response from Bowman’s campaign for comment.
As the primary approaches, the dynamics of this race underscore the broader tensions within the Democratic Party between its moderate and progressive wings.
