Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a member of the progressive "Squad" in Congress, has suffered a double-digit loss in his New York Democratic primary election. The defeat marks the first time a Squad member has been defeated in a primary.
On Monday, Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., received a boost from her allies in the House's left-wing "Squad" ahead of her primary election on Tuesday. The virtual rally, held on Zoom, featured Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and Summer Lee, D-Pa.
Squad Member Jamaal Bowman Loses Primary to Pro-Israel Moderate
The rally came after Bowman lost his own primary re-election bid to a more moderate, pro-Israel Democrat, Westchester County Executive George Latimer. Bush has been viewed as the second-most embattled Squad member after Bowman, with pro-Israel groups actively campaigning against both progressive leftists.
The two-term progressive Democrat is one of Congress' harshest critics of Israel and its operation in Gaza. She has accused Israel's government of waging a genocide on Palestinians and consistently voted against emergency funding for the Middle Eastern ally.
Squad Member Jamaal Bowman Loses Primary to Pro-Israel Moderate
Bush's outspoken criticism of Israel has earned her opposition from within her own party, with the group Democratic Majority for Israel backing her opponent, Wesley Bell. Bell also has the support of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a bipartisan pro-Israel lobbying group.
Tlaib, one of the Bush allies rallying for her Monday night, is Israel's most outspoken critic in the House, having been censured over her verbal attacks against the Middle Eastern country. She also held up a sign accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being a "war criminal" during his speech to Congress last month.
Squad Member Jamaal Bowman Loses Primary to Pro-Israel Moderate
Bell, Bush's opponent, is prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County. He has leaned to the center with his campaign, contrasting with the Democratic incumbent's progressive policies.
Bush and her allies have sought to paint Bell as a right-wing operator, however, citing his past volunteer work for anti-abortion conservative Mark J. Byrne. Bush is also going into Tuesday with the backing of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and his top two deputies.
Squad Member Jamaal Bowman Loses Primary to Pro-Israel Moderate
Bell was endorsed by the editorial board of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, one of the district's largest newspapers, late last month. The newspaper criticized Bush for her "theatrics and name-calling" and said that her "divisive rhetoric" jeopardized Democratic "unity."
The outcome of the primary will be closely watched as a test of the strength of the progressive movement within the Democratic Party. If Bush is defeated, it would send a signal that the party is shifting away from its leftward flank.
