Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., a member of the House Democrats' progressive "Squad," is facing a tough primary race because of his support for Hamas, according to The New York Times.
Former Rep. Mondaire Jones, once a Bowman ally, is now supporting George Latimer, Bowman's opponent, in the June 25 Democrat primary.
Jones said Bowman has positioned himself as a leading critic of Israel and has sown "pain and anxiety" among Jewish New Yorkers.
Jones lost his House seat in 2022 and is now running in a bid to unseat Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican.
"As someone who is among the most popular Democrats in the Hudson Valley, it is my prerogative to play a dispositive role in ending this long, painful nightmare that we have been experiencing since Oct. 7," Jones said.
The Bowman-Latimer race has been transformed by $10 million in outside spending by pro-Israel groups on Latimer's behalf, the Times noted.
Since the war broke out in October, Bowman has become one of Israel's most outspoken critics in Congress. He was among the first lawmakers to call for a cease-fire after Hamas' attack left more than 1,200 Israelis dead.
In addition, he has claimed the Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. He also raised doubts that Hamas committed sexual violence, but later acknowledge he was wrong.
"There is nothing progressive about rushing to call for a cease-fire in the days following Oct. 7 before Israel could even begin to defend itself," Jones said.
Jones joins a list of current and former public officials to back Latimer, according to the Times. But Bowman still has the backing of some powerful labor unions, left-leaning lawmakers like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the top members of House Democratic leadership.
Bowman has rejected claims of antisemitism, saying he is pro-peace, not anti-Israel or anti-Jewish, the Times said.
In addition, he has slammed Hamas' attack as a war crime, but argues it does not justify an Israel counteroffensive that has killed tens of thousands of Gazans.
Bowman came under fire in May for hosting a fundraiser with extremist Muslim leader who praised the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israel.
Bowman hosted the fundraiser with Council on American–Islamic Relations Executive Director Nihad Awad at a private residence in Fairfax, Virginia, the New York Post reported
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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