A new poll this week shows Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D., N.Y.), a "Squad" member known for his anti-Israel stance, is down 17 points in his bid for a third House term.
Westchester County executive George Latimer (D.) is leading Bowman 52 percent to 35 percent among Democratic primary voters in New York’s 16th Congressional District, according to the Wednesday poll conducted by Democratic pollster Mark Mellman.
Latimer’s lead over Bowman widens among more politically active Democratic voters, with the county executive leading the incumbent 56 percent to 35 percent among Democrats who voted in at least three of the last four primaries and 60 percent to 34 percent among those who say they know both candidates.
The poll also finds Bowman trails Latimer in job performance ratings. While the county executive, who has served in multiple capacities in the district since the 1980s, has an approval rate of 68 percent and a disapproval rate of 18 percent, Bowman’s performance is viewed positively by only 36 percent and negatively by 55 percent of Democrats in the district.
"Latimer does 32 points better on the positive side, while Bowman’s negatives are a massive 37 points higher than Latimer’s. Very few unindicted elected officials receive such strongly negative ratings from their co-partisans," pollster Mellman said, adding that "the data are clear: With a robust campaign, the well-known and highly regarded Latimer is in a strong position to unseat the now unpopular Bowman."
Bowman spokesman Bill Neidhardt dismissed Mellman’s poll, claiming that "[Mellman] doesn’t have an ounce of credibility here, and his junk numbers back that up."
Bowman, one of the eight progressive "Squad" members in Congress, has been vocal in his criticism of Israel. In November, he denounced Israel as an "apartheid" state while dismissing reports of Hamas terrorists killing babies and raping women on Oct. 7 as "propaganda."
In February, Bowman condemned an Israeli rescue mission that brought two Hamas-held hostages home. Earlier that month, he also defended his decision as a middle school principal years ago to feature a prominent anti-Semite and two cop killers on the school’s "Wall of Honor."
Bowman and Latimer are set to square off in the primary on June 25.