Democrat Jamaal Bowman’s Primary Challenge Becomes Most Expensive House Race in History

A power struggle between the populist left and the Democrat establishment emerged this spring in New York’s 16th congressional district, igniting the most expensive House race in history.

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Westchester County Executive George Latimer are locked in a heated campaign that will be settled after polls close Tuesday.

The race represents a national bellwether for the Democrat party.

WATCH — Wasserman Schultz: Bowman “Engaged in Antisemitic Rhetoric,” Only Condemned 10/7 Because of Polls:

Latimer, who is leading in the polls by 17 points, is trying to defeat the populist, radical-left incumbent, who infamously pulled a fire alarm in the Capitol building and recently apologized for denying Hamas raped women on October 7. Bowman is supported by populist Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who both appeared at a profane campaign rally over the weekend for Bowman.

The establishment has backed Latimer. He is supported by two-time failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, retired congressman Eliot Engel, who Bowman defeated in 2020, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), according to the New York Times. Latimer is a former member of the Rye City Council, the county legislature, and the state legislature.

The race centers around a referendum on Israel-Palestinian policy. Bowman appears to sympathize with Hamas, while Latimer, supported by the pro-Israel lobby, condemned Hamas’s attack on Israel. Bowman opposes Israel’s military operations in Gaza, while Latimer has not called for a ceasefire but supports a two-state solution.

WATCH — Bowman: “Need More Protests” Like Columbia Encampment, UCLA Looked Disorderly, but Cops Caused Disorder:

AdImpact estimated the two camps spent total of $23 million on the Democrat primary, according to filings compiled by OpenSecrets. The sum represents the largest in history, AdImpact reported, eclipsing Oregon’s 6th congressional district election in 2022.

AIPAC and a cryptocurrency super PAC represents the lion’s share of the race’s funding, the Guardian reported:

A Guardian analysis of campaign finance records has found that three Super Pacs have spent nearly $18m to unseat Bowman. United Democracy Project (UDP), an Aipac-affiliated Super Pac, has spent more than $14.5m backing Latimer — the most the group has spent on any single race in its history. Latimer has also benefited from $1m from the group Democratic Majority for Israel and $2m from the crypto-backed group FairShake, according to Federal Election Commission records. Meanwhile, a coalition of 10 progressive outside groups have spent about $3m in support of Bowman.

Watch video:

Wendell Husebo is a political reporter with Breitbart News and a former GOP War Room Analyst. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality. Follow Wendell on “X” @WendellHusebø or on Truth Social @WendellHusebo.