Jamaal Bowman, the Democratic congressman from New York who recently sounded a fire alarm in the U.S. Capitol, delaying a congressional vote, is trailing far behind his opponent in the upcoming primary election, according to recent polls, the New York Post reported Tuesday.
Bowman is running for re-election in the 16th Congressional District, but is trailing his Democratic opponent, George Latimer, in the primary election scheduled for June 25. New York PostA recent Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill poll has Bowman trailing Latimer by 17 points, with Latimer receiving 48% of the vote to Bowman’s 31% and 21% of voters still undecided.
‘Squad’ Rep. Jamaal Bowman in landslide defeat to NY Democratic rival George Latimer: New poll https://t.co/ey3h5rXBrX pic.twitter.com/tilAUFzbTj
— New York Post (@nypost) June 11, 2024
Westchester County Mayor Latimer holds a large lead that appears to be influenced by differing views on the conflict between Israel and Hamas. While Latimer is a strong supporter of Israel, Bowman has previously come under fire for calling Israel an “apartheid” state. As reported by the New York Post, Bowman retracted the remark after receiving backlash. The poll found that 45% of voters agreed with Latimer’s position and 29% agreed with Bowman’s, reflecting the national debate over U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. (Related: Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman alleges racism by pro-Israel groups backing his opponent)
WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 27: Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) holds a press conference with House Democrats outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC on September 27, 2023 to announce bi-house resolutions recognizing Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week will be held October 1-7. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
According to polling data, a majority of Democratic primary voters believe the US is overspending on aid to Israel, with 50% holding this view, while 46% feel the US is not doing enough to support Palestinian humanitarian efforts, the outlet reported.
Latimer’s appeal is also fueled by his moderate politics and long career in Westchester dating back to the late 1980s. He has the support of 65% of likely voters, to Bowman’s 51%, according to the New York Post. The demographic split is stark, with Latimer holding a 42-point lead among white voters and Bowman, who is African-American, holding a 14-point lead among black voters. Hispanic voters are evenly split between the two.
