Gov. Kathy Hockle criticized Rep. Jamaal Bowman ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic primary, but the early voting numbers could prove troubling for embattled “Squad” members.
In an interview Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Hoeckle said he wasn’t taking sides in the race between Bowman and moderate candidate George Latimer, who is Westchester County Mayor.
But when asked about Bowman’s accusation that Jewish forces committed “genocide” in Gaza, she made it clear that she did not agree with Bowman’s views on the war between Israel and Hamas.
“I strongly support Israel,” Haukl said.
“I’ve been to Israel since Oct. 7, and it’s still traumatic to see the images of women who were raped and the suffering the country has gone through,” the governor said.
Bowman apologized last week for saying at an anti-Israel rally in November that reports that Hamas fighters had raped and murdered children in Israel on October 7 were “lies” and “propaganda.”
Meanwhile, Jewish residents of parts of the 16th District, which stretches from Co-op City in the Bronx through much of Westchester, voted in large numbers by mail or early. – It’s a welcome development for Latimer, but a nuisance for Bowman.
About 80% of registered Democrats who are members of New Rochelle’s Young Israel synagogue – 676 of 873 – voted in person, either by mail or early, according to organizer Bruce Schanzer.
“Anti-Semitism is on the ballot,” said Schanzer, a member of the Young Israel Church in New Rochelle.
“We are American Jews who support Israel, the only free democracy in the Middle East. Bowman has not represented this district well. And that was before Oct. 7,” he said.
Schanzer praised the Teach New York Coalition/Westchester United Group, a division of the Union for Orthodox Judaism, for helping to set up a database to track whether registered Democrats in their congregations voted in the primary. Those who didn’t are notified.
Teach New York representatives said at least half of the members of four other synagogues in Westchester have already voted Democrat.
Overall, 15% of New Rochelle’s registered Democrats, or 3,537 people, had voted by Saturday, according to election data provided to The Washington Post.
Meanwhile, in Greenburgh, where Latimer is expected to win, 17% of Democrats, or 4,102 people, have already voted.
But Bowman is expected to do well in the Bronx’s 82nd Congressional District, which includes Co-op City, where more than 2,000 people have already voted.
The incumbent found himself in a tough spot after holding an embarrassing rally on Saturday with fellow left-leaning Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Meanwhile, Bronx Rep. Ritchie Torres said Bowman should be ashamed of her vulgar behavior at the event.
“The level of profanity here is shocking and unbecoming of a member of parliament.” Torres said: A statement about X.
“Jamaal Bowman’s outrageous accusations bear no resemblance to the decency of the people I know and represent in the South Bronx.”
