Progressive Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., is desperately fighting to hang onto his seat on Tuesday after facing millions of dollars in attacks from pro-Israel groups in a race that has attracted more ad spending than any House primary in history.
If he’s defeated, Bowman, one of Congress’ most outspoken critics of Israel, would become the first member of so-called “Squad” of progressive lawmakers of color to be ousted in a Democratic primary. Other Squad members have been targeted in the past, including Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., who won her primary earlier this year.
The United Democracy Project, the super PAC tied to the powerful pro-Israel lobby American Israel Public Affairs Committee, has poured nearly $15 million on ads into the race, according to the ad tracking firm AdImapct, to unseat Bowman and back his centrist challenger, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, a staunch supporter of Israel.
In all, candidates and outside groups have spent a record $25 million on ads in the primary, per AdImpact. That’s a staggering sum for a deep-blue congressional district just north of Manhattan that President Joe Biden won by nearly 45 percentage points in 2020.
The bitter Bowman-Latimer primary battle underscores the widening rift in the Democratic Party between progressives and establishment figures over Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza.
After the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, Bowman, a former Bronx middle school principal, joined a chorus of progressive voices calling for a permanent ceasefire. He’s also referred to Israel’s air strikes that have killed Palestinians civilians “a genocide” and pushed for the ouster of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Several prominent national figures had waded into the race. Progressive heroes like Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York — also a member of the Squad — campaigned for Bowman, while Hillary Clinton endorsed Latimer.
Tuesday’s primaries will also set the matchups in a slew of competitive New York districts, which are top targets for Democrats as they look to net five seats to take control of the House this fall.
In Colorado, all of the primary action is on the Republican side. Rep. Lauren Boebert is competing in a crowded primary after switching districts to run in more GOP-friendly territory.
Democrats also attempted to meddle in the GOP primary to replace Boebert in the more competitive 3rd District, appearing to bet that controversial state Rep. Ron Hanks could be easier to beat in November.
Colorado Republicans will also pick their nominees in the deep-red 5th District to replace retiring Rep. Doug Lamborn, and in the competitive 8th District.
In Utah, Donald Trump has picked his preferred candidate to replace retiring GOP Sen. Mitt Romney, a vocal critic of the former president, backing Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs. But Staggs is facing a competitive race for the GOP nod, which also features Rep. John Curtis.
South Carolina will also hold its primary runoffs for races where no candidate won a majority of the vote in the June 11 contest. Trump’s endorsement will be on the line in the open 3rd District, where he backed pastor Mark Burns over nurse Sheri Biggs.
In Eastern Time, polls close in South Carolina at 7 p.m., New York and Colorado at 9 p.m. and Utah at 10 p.m.
