Democratic Representatives Jamaal Bowman, from New York, and Cori Bush, from Missouri, are both members of "The Squad," the unofficial group composed of representatives of the most extreme-left wing of the Democratic Party, which typically takes a clear anti-Israeli position. Both incumbents have raised less money than two pro-Israel candidates seeking to unseat their party colleagues in the primaries: George Latimer in New York, and Wesley Bell in Missouri.
According to the latest reports, published by The Daily Caller, Westchester County Executive and former New York state Sen. Latimer raised $2.2 million between Jan. 1 and March 31, while Rep. Bowman raised just $1.3 million.
In Missouri, Bell, prosecuting attorney of St. Louis County, raised $970,392, compared to the $677,707 reported by Rep. Bush, per The Daily Caller
Furthermore, pro-Israel candidates almost doubled the amount of money that Bush and Bowman had at the beginning of April. Latimer and Bell reported $3,000,000 and $1,100,000 in the bank, respectively, according to data from the Federal Election Commission.
The FEC further indicated that Latimer spent approximately $56,000 more than Bowman during the first quarter of fundraising, while Bush outspent Bell by nearly $138,000.
Following the Oct. 7 massacre, members of The Squad have criticized Israel for its response against the terrorist organization Hamas. At the end of January, the progressive Jewish organization J Street pulled its support for Bowman after the Democratic representative described Israel's military campaign in Gaza as “genocide.” Recently, Latimer called Bowman's rhetoric "extremist" and took aim at anti-Israel protesters: “If you’re going to chant, 'Free Palestine, free Palestine,' what you’re saying is Israel gets wiped off the map. That’s what that phrase means.” He added that the Jewish state “has right to exist ... on defensible borders.”
In February, after being criticized for her anti-Israel stance, Bush stated: “I’m being targeted by AIPAC [American Israel Public Affairs Committee] because not only do I believe Palestinians deserve to live freely and peacefully just like Israelis, but because I want to protect our democracy from Republican extremism.” Wesley Bell recently stated that "in Congress, I’ll continue to ensure that Israel and the United States remain strong allies as we work toward peace in the region."
Bowman, it should be remembered, was criticized for activating the fire alarm in a Capitol office building in September in order to delay the vote on the Republican Party's stopgap spending bill, which sought to avoid an imminent government shutdown. After the unusual event, Bowman pleaded guilty, as part of an agreement with Washington, D.C., Deputy Attorney General Peter Saba. The representative promised to pay $1,000, serve three months on probation and write a letter asking for forgiveness from the Capitol Police.
What do the polls say?
According to a poll conducted by Mellman Group, requested by the Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI), published on April 4, Latimer leads Bowman by 17 points, while 13% of Democrats are still undecided.
Another poll, conducted by MOScout/Remington and published in early February, indicated that Bell led Bush by 22 points and that 18% had not yet decided on their vote.
The primary for New York's 16th Congressional District will be held on June 25, while the primary for Missouri's First Congressional District will be held on Aug. 6.
