ABOVE: Democrat Rep. Jamaal Bowman (left) and Democrat Westchester County Exec George Latimer (right ). PHOTO: Clarke/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images; Geroge Latimer campaign.

Elected officials and prominent organizations are taking sides ahead of one of the most-watched Congressional races of 2024.

By Peter Sterne | City & State New York

The [June 25] Democratic primary for New York’s 16th Congressional District is one of the most high-profile intra-party fights in the nation – pitting incumbent Rep. Jamaal Bowman against Westchester County Executive George Latimer. 

The district stretches from from the northern Bronx through much of suburban Westchester County. The most recent round of congressional redistricting removed much of the Wakefield neighborhood from the district but added in vote-rich Co-Op City.

Latimer is running after Bowman’s critical stance on Israel angered many of his Jewish constituents in the lower Hudson Valley district.

The foreign policy issue is likely to dominate the race, though Latimer insists his reasons for running go beyond Israel. 

At a time when Democrats are fighting to win back seats in New York, this will be an extremely pricey primary. 

Bowman formally launched his reelection campaign with an event in Yonkers on Jan. 24. featuring progressive star Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and he didn’t shy away from criticizing Israel.

Meanwhile, pro-Israel groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee have boosted Latimer’s campaign, and an Orthodox Jewish political group launched an effort to encourage Republicans and independent voters to register as Democrats in order to vote for Latimer in the primary election – which reportedly resulted in more than 2,300 voters registering as Democrats.

Bowman has been an outspoken critic of Israel’s invasion of Gaza, calling for a permanent ceasefire in October and later condemning Israel’s actions as “genocide” – which led the liberal pro-Israel group J Street to rescind its endorsement of him. 

On March 5, Latimer said that he supported President Biden’s push for a temporary ceasefire. A March poll of Democratic voters in the district, which was funded by the Working Families Party, found that 69% of respondents would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supported a ceasefire.

As of April 2024, Latimer had raised an impressive $2.2 million – close to twice as much as Bowman, who reported raising $1.3 million. 

A poll conducted by the Democratic Majority for Israel, which is backing Latimer, found that Latimer had a 17-point lead over Bowman. 

Although Bowman’s campaign dismissed the poll as biased and inaccurate, it has not released any of its own polling to rebut it.

We’re tracking who is backing which candidate in the marquee race. This post was last updated on April 11.

JAMAAL BOWMAN (INCUMBENT)

Organizations: New York Working Families Party, Make the Road Action, DC 37, 1199 SEIU, UAW Region 9A, New York State Nurses Association, National Nurses United, Justice Democrats, League of Conservation Voters, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, Congressional Black Caucus PAC, Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC, Alliance for Quality Education, Human Rights Campaign

Elected officials: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Rep. Cori Bush, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Yvette Clark, Rep. Katherine Clark, Rep. Pete Aguilar, state Sen. Jamaal Bailey, state Sen. Gustavo Rivera, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, New York City Council Member Kevin Riley, Hastings-on-Hudson Mayor Nicola Armacost

GEORGE LATIMER, WESTCHESTER COUNTY EXECUTIVE

Organizations: American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Jewish Democratic Council of America, Democratic Majority for Israel PAC, Dream for America, Civil Service Employees Association, Laborers International Union of North America, Mason Tenders District Council, Transit Workers Union Local 100, New York State Professional Firefighters District 5, International Union of Operating Engineers, Democratic committees from Eastchester, Rye City, Rye Town, White Plains, Pelham, Mamaroneck, Harrison, Scarsdale, Greenburgh, Yonkers and Mount Vernon

Elected officials: State Sen. Shelley Mayer, Assembly Member Amy Paulin, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, Port Chester Mayor Luis Marino, Larchmont Mayor Sarah Bauer, Rye Town Supervisor Gary Zuckerman, former Rep. Eliot Engel, former Rep. Nita Lowey, former Gov. David Paterson

Holly Pretsky contributed reporting. ##