(RepublicanJournal.org) – For the past few years, a faction of the Left dubbed “The Squad” has been making headlines. The progressive lawmakers often took far-left stances, sometimes to the detriment of their own party. While they were seemingly gaining power in Congress at one point, a recent primary vote showed that sentiment may be changing.
On Tuesday, June 25, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) went head-to-head in a Democratic primary against candidate George Lattimer, a Westchester County executive, and lost. Bowman made the conflict in Gaza a cornerstone of his re-election campaign — speaking out against the Biden Administration for its support — and failed to expand his support base.
This, combined with prolific spending from a super PAC with links to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which contributed more than $1.5 million to Lattimer’s campaign, led to his downfall. The final tally, 58.4% to 41.6%, makes Bowman the first member of “The Squad” to be ousted and might serve as a wake-up call for others in the faction.
The representative has been the center of a bit of controversy, including last year when he pulled a fire alarm, prompting an evacuation of the lower chamber. He admitted to pulling it because he didn’t want to miss an important vote. That led to three months of probation, a $1,000 fine, and the House censuring him.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) also primaried on June 25 but torched her opponent, Martin Dolan, in the state’s 14th Congressional District. She won 82% of the vote.
Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) is also up for re-election. Her primary is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, August 6. Like Bowman, she’s facing down a constituency that might not be entirely thrilled with the way her tenure has played out. She’s currently under multiple federal investigations for allegedly misusing campaign funds and has yet to receive the backing of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
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