Westchester County Executive George Latimer is expected to defeat Rep. Jamaal Bowman on Tuesday night in a historically expensive and contentious primary race for New York’s 16th Congressional District, viewed by political observers as a litmus test for Democratic support for Israel amid its ongoing war in Gaza.
Latimer, a longtime local elected official with deep ties to the Westchester political establishment, was declared the winner of the primary by the Associated Press, with 71% of votes counted. Latimer had received roughly 56% of the vote by 11 p.m. Tuesday, according to the AP.
“What we see tonight is in fact the many. This is the many of Westchester and the Bronx. And tonight, we turn a page and we say that we believe in inclusion of everybody in our representation,” Latimer said during his victory speech in White Plains, a nod to Bowman’s campaign slogan pitting “the many vs. the money.”
The fight to represent the heavily Democratic district, which stretches from the northern Bronx into southern Westchester, became the country’s most closely watched primary as the Democratic Party contends with differing views on the ongoing war in the Middle East. And it has become the most expensive Congressional primary in U.S. history, with millions in spending from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
The battle between Bowman and Latimer comes as Democrats look to take control over the U.S. House of Representatives in November, prompting concerns among party loyalists of irreparable fractures within its ranks.
In his concession speech, Bowman — a member of the progressive group of House Democrats referred to as “The Squad” — said he would not disappear from public life.
“Our opponents — not opponent — may have won this round at this time at this place,” Bowman said in Yonkers. “But this will be a battle for humanity and justice for the rest of our lives. And we are going to continue to fight that battle for humanity and justice for the rest of our lives.”
Rep. Jamaal Bowman speaks at his election night headquarters on Tuesday night.
Latimer is set to face Republican Miriam Levitt Flisser, the former mayor of Scarsdale, in the November election. Given the Democratic majority of the largely suburban district, Latimer is likely to cruise to victory in November.
Bronx Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, another member of The Squad, easily fended off a primary challenge Tuesday night, as did moderate Rep. Daniel Goldman of Manhattan.
But Bowman’s lossTuesday night marked a blow to progressives nationwide.
Bowman was elected to Congress in 2020 after he toppled 16-term incumbent Eliot Engel in a Democratic primary, boosting his national profile among the party’s left flank. He has been condemned by conservatives and members of his own party for criticizing Israel’s response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
Jasmine Gripper, co-director of the Working Families Party, the left-leaning organization that backed Bowman, called his loss “a little heartbreaking” and “a blow to our movement.”
“At the end of the night, Bowman is a fighter and I’m proud that we did everything we could to protect him,” she said. “And we’re going to protect the Squad members … and make sure that what happened here doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
In a recent debate, Bowman said he would support the winner of the Democratic primary in the November general election, no matter the outcome. But in his concession speech, he made clear he would continue pushing progressive ideals.
“While we are here at home, we will continue to fight for Medicare for All and health care as a human right,” Bowman told his supporters. “We will continue to fight for housing as a human right. We will continue to fight for criminal justice reform so people aren’t in jail for nonsense. We will continue the fight to tax the rich.”
After he announced his campaign in December, Latimer quickly racked up endorsements from Westchester power brokers and blue bloods of New York’s Democratic establishment, including former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and former Gov. David Paterson.
Paterson stood alongside Latimer as he declared victory Tuesday night, as did longtime Westchester Assemblymember Amy Paulin and members of the Transit Workers Union Local 100 and the New York carpenters union.
“It was really just two men of differing ideas of how to serve in government, and the right one won the election,” Paterson told Gothamist.
Virtually every Democratic group in the county and a barrage of local elected officials backed Latimer, a former state legislator who is known for doling out his personal phone number to constituents. Latimer’s longstanding history representing the Westchester area, which makes up a bulk of the district, presented a serious problem for Bowman, who is a relative newcomer to politics.
Though the district is largely suburban, it is home to some dense urban areas where Bowman has drawn support in past elections. That includes Mount Vernon, where Latimer grew up, and Yonkers, where Bowman lives.
On the campaign trail, Latimer touted his local record, which includes banning gun shows from county-owned property, and his vision as a would-be representative in Congress. He told the Journal News this spring that he supported repealing the $10,000 deduction cap on state and local taxes, a major topic in the suburbs, but demurred from President Joe Biden’s proposal to increase taxes on businesses and wealthy individuals.
With his win, Latimer has now won five primary elections and 17 general elections. He’s never lost a race in which he’s appeared on the ballot.
“I asked you to give me a chance to go to Washington,” Latimer said in his victory speech. “You’ve given me that first major step. Let me try to do what I can to bring some positive result to what’s happening there.”
This story was updated with additional information about the race and remarks from Latimer and Bowman.
Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the historical precedent of spending in the 16th District. It was the most expensive primary in U.S. history.
