‘Squad’ member Jamaal Bowman draws primary challenge from staunch defender of Israel
‘Squad’ member Jamaal Bowman — an outspoken critic of Israel who allegedly tried to disrupt a vote by pulling a fire alarm — might see his reelection bid go up in flames.
Bowman (D-NY) has drawn a primary challenge from Westchester County Executive George Latimer, &ꦅnbsp;with the Federal Election Commission on Monday.
Latimer had long stoked buzz that he would vie for Bowman’s seat in New York’s 16th Congressional District amid the incumbent’s left-wing positions and fire alarm debacle.
“I have been asked to do it by people who are important and friends of mine. They have expressed an unhappiness with the incumbent over a lot of different issues. Israel is obviously very high on that list,” Latimer previously told The Post.
“I am a strong supporter of Israel.”
The Westchester County executive has panned Bowman in the past and defended himself as the “most progressive” county official in New York.
While Bowman has condemned Hamas’ bloody Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel, he has also been one of the earliest proponents of a ceasefire in Congress.
Before the filing, Latimer embarked on a tour of Israel where he huddled with top of♈ficials in the key US ally. He has to draw a sharp contrast with Bowman on the war raging in Israel during the campaign.
The primary contest marks one of the most high-profi🅺le battles between Democrats for a congressional seat in the Empire State, especially now that Liz Whitmer Gereghty dropped out of the 17th Congressional District.
It could also serve as a key gauge for Democrats on the topic of Israelꦅ, which has caused a deep rift within the progr🤡essive movement.
Bowman pulled a fire alarm in the House Cannon office back in late September ahead of a last-minute vote 🐻to avert a government shutdown.
Initially, the iconoclastic rep chalked the ordeal up to an accident amid a mad dash for the vote to keep the government’s lights on.
At the time, Democrats had been scrambling to p♛arse through a stopgap proposal from Republicans, keen on flagging a🥀ny poison pills. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) leveraged his magic minute to buy time.
Before Bowman, a former principal at a middle school where students would get suspended for such shenanigans, pulled the alarm, he yanked down emergency signs, subsequent footage showed.
In♕ October, the 47-year-old Bronx and Westchester Democrat acknowledged in his guilty plea that he “willfully and knowingly” gave a “false alarm of a fire,” in violation of District of Columbia law.
He also agreed to write an apology letter to the Capitol Police chief, in exchange for getting the charge against him dismissed i🍌n three months if he doesꦯn’t commit a repeat offense.
The Post contacted Bowman’s campaign for comment.
Latimer’s forthcoming primary challenge against Bowman is one of several key battles against members of the “Squad” in 2024.
Other members such as Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), and more a♎re all facing stiff challenges from their own party.
