Westchester County executive George Latimer, who is challenging five-term Rep. Jamaal Bowman, slams the Squad member’s profanity-laced rally, calling it "inappropriate." Bowman's support for Palestinians and charges of Israeli genocide draw criticism, while the race becomes the most expensive congressional primary in the nation's history.
Westchester County executive George Latimer, a moderate Democrat, has launched a blistering attack on his far-left challenger, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, in the most expensive congressional primary in U.S. history.
Latimer, who is seeking to unseat Bowman in Tuesday's primary in New York's 16th Congressional District, has criticized Bowman's use of profanity at a recent rally, calling it "inappropriate."
Battle for the Bronx: Moderate Challenger Takes Aim at Squad Member in Costliest Congressional Primary
"During this campaign, I've been called a lot of unkind things," Latimer said Monday. "I've opened up a weekly newspaper in this county and seen myself referred to as genocide George. I've had all sorts of claims lobbed at me."
"I think there's been a lot of criticism lobbed at me by my opponent that's unfair and inaccurate," he added. "But I don't think I get the right to use my temper. I don't think I get the right to curse in public and carry on in a certain way."
Battle for the Bronx: Moderate Challenger Takes Aim at Squad Member in Costliest Congressional Primary
Bowman, a former middle school principal, has been a vocal supporter of Palestinians amid the war in Gaza and has accused Israel of committing genocide. His stance has drawn criticism from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which has spent roughly $14 million supporting Latimer.
Progressive rock stars Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have endorsed Bowman and joined him at a rally in the Bronx on Saturday. The event was anything but a PG-rated spectacle as Bowman repeatedly used profanities.
Battle for the Bronx: Moderate Challenger Takes Aim at Squad Member in Costliest Congressional Primary
"We are going to show f---ing AIPAC the power of the motherf---ing South Bronx!" Bowman said at the rally, which was held outside the congressional district's boundaries.
The Israel-Hamas conflict is a top issue in the primary, but it's not the only one at play. Bowman has also been criticized for voting against President Biden's bipartisan infrastructure bill and against raising the debt limit.
Battle for the Bronx: Moderate Challenger Takes Aim at Squad Member in Costliest Congressional Primary
Latimer, on the other hand, has been endorsed by local mayors and council members, multiple Westchester County legislators, and former Secretary of State and former Sen. Hillary Clinton. He has also benefited from a record $25 million in spending by outside groups and the two campaigns to run ads in the district.
While Bowman and Latimer dominate the attention in Tuesday's primary, it's not the only contest worth watching. John Avlon, a former Fox News analyst and one of the founders of the No Labels political organization, is running against former Stony Brook University chemistry professor Nancy Goroff in the Democrat primary in New York's 1st Congressional District on the eastern end of Long Island. The winner will face off in November with Republican Rep. Nick LaLota.
Battle for the Bronx: Moderate Challenger Takes Aim at Squad Member in Costliest Congressional Primary
In Colorado, seven Republicans are running in the state's competitive 3rd Congressional District in the race to succeed GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert, who decided to run this year in the more Republican-friendly 4th Congressional District after nearly losing in 2022.
Boebert is heavily favored to win the seat in the fourth district, which was left vacant after GOP Rep. Ken Buck retired from Congress.
In Utah, the battle to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Mitt Romney is taking center stage. Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and the GOP's 2012 presidential nominee, is a vocal Republican critic of former President Trump, the party's 2024 presumptive nominee.
Trump is backing Riverton, Utah, Mayor Trent Staggs, who also has the backing of the Utah GOP after winning the most votes in April's state party convention. But Rep. John Curtis, a former Democrat and environmental activist who voted to accept Biden's victory in the 2020 election, enjoys a solid fundraising lead over Staggs.
Republican Gov. Spencer Cox of Utah, another major GOP Trump critic, is facing a primary challenge from Phil Lyman, another 2020 election denier who easily won the state party convention. But Trump to date has remained neutral and hasn't endorsed Lyman.
