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Squad Member Jamaal Bowman Trails Primary Challenger George Latimer in Another Poll

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  June 11, 2024 6:15 PM

Back in April, a poll for the Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) showed Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), a member of the Squad, facing the very real risk of losing his seat to Westchester County Executive George Latimer, who launched a primary challenge against him. Now, with the primaries two weeks away, it still looks like Bowman could lose. 

In this case, a poll from PIX11, Emerson College and The Hill shows Latimer leading Bowman with likely Democratic primary voters by 48-31 percent, while 21 percent are undecided. 

The Polymarket odds are now much higher in Latimer's favor. The same goes for DA Wesley Bell, who is challenging another Squad member, Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO). 

While both Bowman and Latimer enjoy net positive favorable ratings, this is another finding that shows better news for Latimer, with 65 percent having a favorable view and 23 percent having an unfavorable view of him. While 51 percent have a favorable view of Bowman, 43 percent have an unfavorable view of him. 

Bowman enjoys a plurality of support among those demographics who favor him, while Latimer enjoys a majority of support among those demographics who favor him. As a Pix11 write-up highlighted:

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Each candidate also has distinctly different support within NY-16, according to the poll.

Bowman is getting support from 44% of voters under 40 years old in the PIX11 survey. He also got a large plurality of Black voters at 48%. Latimer got 51% of those over the age of 40 and 62% of white voters.

The poll also found that the economy (22 percent) and housing affordability (21 percent) are the top issues, while threats to democracy (14 percent), healthcare (13 percent), crime (12 percent), and immigration (6 percent) follow from there.

As Townhall has covered, how each candidate has handled the Israel-Hamas conflict has played a role in this race. The poll also found that Latimer has a lead in the double-digits on this issue as well, as 45 percent say they're aligned with Latimer, while 29 percent say they're aligned with Bowman, and 26 percent are unsure. 

Bowman has not only called for a ceasefire and referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a "maniac" who should be removed from office, he's also used antisemitic tropes about groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Last November, not long after the October 7 terrorist attack that Hamas perpetrated against Israel, Bowman claimed that it was "a lie" and "propaganda" that women had been raped by Hamas. 

In addition to Latimer having the support from DMFI, he also has the support from AIPAC and StopAntisemitism. 

Former Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-NY), who is running against Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) in New York's 17th Congressional District, also came out in support of Latimer, putting Democrats in disarray, especially other members of the Squad, like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). 

In sharing the poll results, users are also calling to mind how Bowman pulled the fire alarm late last September at the Capitol when the House was voting to avert a government shutdown. There had been no fire or other kind of emergency.

The primaries in New York for U.S. House seats take place on June 25.