Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-New York)’s congressional career will end after one term following a series of anti-Semitic controversies and a conviction for conduct at the Capitol.
Westchester County Mayor George Latimer defeated Bowman on Tuesday night in the most expensive House race in history. AdImpact Estimation Together, the two campaigns spent $23 million on the Democratic primary, according to documents compiled by Open Secrets.
Less than 30 minutes after the polls closed, the election was declared the winner for Latimer.
The primary for New York’s 16th congressional district drew national attention because of a referendum on Israeli and Palestinian policy. Bowman, a progressive former middle school principal and member of “The Squad,” represented the insurgent pro-Hamas wing of the Democratic Party, while Latimer, backed by the pro-Israel lobby, condemned Hamas attacks on Israel.
Bowman opposes Israel’s military operation in Gaza, while Latimer supports a two-state solution, though he does not call for a ceasefire.
Additionally, Bowman has denied that Hamas raped women during the October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israel (for which he apologized under significant political pressure) and has mocked another House member for entertaining Jewish leaders, drawing accusations of anti-Semitism.
That wasn’t the only controversy that overwhelmed Bowman.
Jamaal Bowman pleaded guilty in October 2023 to one misdemeanor for accidentally setting off a fire alarm in a Capitol office building just a month before lawmakers were set to vote on a short-term government funding measure to avert a government shutdown.
WATCH: Security video shows Democrat Jamaal Bowman removing warning signs and setting off fire alarms
US Capitol Police
He could have faced six months in prison, but in a plea deal he agreed to pay a $1,000 fine and write an apology to the Capitol Police.
At the time, Bowman claimed he set off the fire alarm because he was trying to open an emergency door to get to his vote, but a report first exclusively published by Breitbart News contradicted his claim, saying Bowman threw an emergency warning sign on the floor before setting off the alarm and ran down the stairs to leave the building on another floor.
The weekend before the primary, Bowman hosted fellow Squad members and fellow New York delegation member, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Ortez (D-N.Y.), and progressive icon, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), at a bizarre, raunchy campaign rally.
That wasn’t enough.
Bowman is scheduled to serve until January 2025.
Bradley Jay is Capitol Hill correspondent for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter. translation:.
