Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s (D-NY) reelection campaign faces new opposition, with critics arguing he’s too far left to represent certain black voters.
The National Black Empowerment Action Fund has invested half a million dollars to bolster Bowman’s opponent in New York’s 16th Congressional District. Additional funding from the group is anticipated in the upcoming weeks.
“We could have stayed out of it, but the need was too great, the sense of urgency was too high,” Darius Jones, the group’s founder, told Politico.
Jones, an alum of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), has also served as AIPAC’s national African American constituency director. AIPAC has shown strong support for Bowman’s primary challenger, George Latimer, the Westchester County executive.
“We’re trying to champion an effort to help amplify the voices of black voters who are focused on safe communities, good-paying jobs, driving down the cost of living, having school choice for their kids, healthcare, and just realizing better life outcomes,” Jones said. “And it’s going to take responsible leadership that’s keenly focused on those priorities as opposed to far-flung ideologies and agendas.”
Jones mentioned that he believes African Americans ought to reassess how they “romanticize” certain Black elected leaders, noting that the donation was not necessarily an endorsement.
“It’s time to begin to hold those folks accountable for their actions in office,” he said, “and to not be so taken by their soaring rhetoric.”
Bowman has recently faced criticism from the Jewish community in his district for his particularly harsh comments on Israel’s actions in the Israel-Hamas war. The Jewish population is sizeable in Westchester County, potentially benefiting Latimer.
According to an April poll, Bowman was trailing Latimer by 17 points, with 52% of respondents supporting Latimer in the primary compared to 35% backing Bowman for reelection. The poll also showed that 60% of the district favored sending more aid to Israel.
New York’s primary election is on June 25.
