The primary for New York’s 16th congressional district, which takes place on Tuesday, has drawn record-breaking spending, with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac) and a crypto-currency Super Pac behind the lion’s share of the funding.

The two are battling to represent a district that spans parts of the Bronx and Westchester county. Latimer is leading in polling, and if he wins, he will be the first challenger to successfully unseat a member of the progressive “Squad”.

The huge haul of outside spending – most of it funding ads attacking Bowman and supporting Latimer – underscores Bowman’s precarious position as a high-profile “Squad” member whose criticism of Israel and outspoken support for Palestinian rights has drawn the ire of the pro-Israel lobby.

But the race is more than a referendum on Israel-Palestine policy. It’s also a test of the fledgling progressive wing of the Democratic party, whose ranks Bowman joined after winning an upset primary victory in 2020 and defeating former representative Eliot Engel, an incumbent who had held the office since 1989.

Among Bowman’s highest-profile supporters are the senator Bernie Sanders and the representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (known as AOC), who will appear at a rally on Saturday to turn out voters for the incumbent. Meanwhile, Latimer has earned the support of the former secretary of state and Democratic party establishment stalwart Hillary Clinton.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    42
    arrow-down
    16
    ·
    edit-2
    7 days ago

    AIPAC aren’t on anyone’s side except Israel.

    And they’re not gonna hesitate to destroy American democracy if it gets “moderates” like Biden, Schumer, or Jeffries in office that are going to not only turn a blind eye, but defend their genocide.

    They don’t care if Dems lose and a Republican wins in the general. Because they bought off the republicans too.

    And the DNC probably doesn’t care that much either. Its easier for them to unseat a Republican than a progressive.

    Progressives have been trying to play ball for decades, but these “moderates” never show any of that unity the constantly demand from us.

    People want to keep calling being against genocide “single issue voters” which is just the same projection shit republicans do.

    • njm1314@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      7 days ago

      They’re not even on Israel’s side, they’re a revisionist Zionist group. They’re on the side of fascism plain and simple.

    • Carrolade@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      7 days ago

      Assuming someone is a genuine progressive, the single-issue voter accusation is very hard to make stick. Progressives have one of the clearest and broadest sets of platform goals of anyone. I wouldn’t worry about it.

      A genuine hamas supporter, as opposed to a peace supporter, they might be a single issue voter. But I think those are very much in the minority, and most progressives just want peace and equality for Palestine and do not support warfighting.

    • Serinus@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      10
      arrow-down
      17
      ·
      7 days ago

      Yes, The DNC famously doesn’t care how maybe Republicans are in Congress.

      Remember the name of this commenter, because he constantly posts the same shit.

      • Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        9
        arrow-down
        3
        ·
        7 days ago

        The DNC famously doesn’t care how maybe Republicans are in Congress.

        They literally don’t. It’s not what they’re chartered to do. The DSCC and DCCC focus on congress. They’re the ones who prop up centrists while pulling the rug out from under progressives, even if that results in maga chuds holding seats that could have been held by Democrats.