Bowman Bounced by the Bronx

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), a noted Democratic critic of Israel and fire-alarm puller, was unseated by the moderate challenger George Latimer in New York’s 16th Congressional District on Wednesday night.

In a race that featured historic spending from outside groups, Bowman lost by nearly 13,000 votes to the elder New York statesman. Latimer is a well-known commodity in the New York political scene and was pushed to run by pro-Israel groups on account of Bowman’s loud and unwavering criticisms of Israel’s war in Gaza.

Though framed nationally as a referendum on Bowman’s criticism of Israel, the race also exposed deep demographic divisions in a district that connects Yonkers to White Plains. Bowman was always seen as a bit of an outsider following his insurgent campaign to unseat 16-term incumbent Rep. Eliot Engel.

As Latimer got down to the brass tacks of electioneering—shaking hands and connecting with local voters—Bowman engaged in pro-Palestine protests and supported his “Squad” allies in Congress.

“Bowman has played the part of a movement politician while representing a fairly normie Democratic suburban district,” wrote John Marshall in the Backchannel.

The win marks 22 straight electoral victories for Latimer who hasn’t lost any of the 17 general elections of five primaries he’s appeared in dating back to 1987 when he first ran for Rye City Council. 

Tuesday’s result ousted one of the most progressive and vocal members of the Democrat coalition from Congress. A highly-publicized weekend rally that featured Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) jumping around and yelling obscenities in front of a few hundred wide-eyed fans in a Bronx park failed to reverberate at the ballot.

Bowman apologized for the display during his concession speech on Tuesday night. “I want to make an apology, a public apology, for, you know, sometimes using foul language,” he said. “I’m sorry.” 

AOC, who easily won her primary reelection bid in New York’s 14th Congressional District, called Bowman a “true public servant” in a post on X Wednesday morning after Bowman’s defeat.

Bowman attracted national attention earlier this year when he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge for pulling a fire alarm to delay congressional business. He was subsequently censured by the House, critically tarnishing his image.

Despite millions of dollars spent on the race, nearly 30,000 fewer votes were cast Tuesday night than in the 2020 Democratic primary.