NEW YORK (AP) — Former middle school principal Jamaal Bowman has toppled 16-term U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel in New York’s Democratic primary in another upset victory for the party’s insurgent wing.
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Many votes cast by mail in the race have yet to be counted, but an AP analysis of absentee ballots returned so far indicated Friday that Bowman’s lead from votes cast in person is too large for Engel to overcome.
Bowman declared victory in the race on June 24, a day after the primary.
A political novice who has never held public office before, Bowman, 44, was a progressive African American challenger who said Engel, the 73-year-old chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, had lost touch with his economically and racially diverse district.
He earned his extraordinary win in a campaign season upended first by the coronavirus outbreak, then by protests over the death of George Floyd.
Both candidates were unable to do traditional campaigning because of social distancing restrictions, but Bowman criticized Engel for staying at his home in Maryland as the pandemic turned his district in the Bronx and suburban Westchester County into one of the virus’s most deadly hunting grounds.
Engel said he was working on behalf of the district from Washington.
Then, after protests over Floyd’s death in Minnesota gave way to two nights of looting, Engel had a bad gaffe while appearing at a Bronx event where he joined other local politicians appealing for peace.
“If I didn’t have a primary, I wouldn’t care,” he said while pleading with the lead organizer for a chance to speak, in a comment picked up by a live microphone.
Engel, who is white, said he has “always believed that Black lives matter” and said his comments were taken out of context, but Bowman, who has spoken of his own experiences with police brutality, said they illustrated why the district needed new leadership.
By defeating Engel, Bowman replicated the success of democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who defeated another powerful New York City Democrat, Joe Crowley, in a neighboring congressional district two years ago.
The campaign was the latest proxy battle between the party’s progressive and pragmatic wings. Bowman was endorsed by Ocasio-Cortez and U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren while Engel picked up support from Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer.
Bowman grew up in public housing in New York City. He was a teacher and school counselor for several years before becoming the founding principal of a Bronx middle school, the Cornerstone Academy for Social Action.
Candidates Chris Fink, Sammy Ravelo and Andom Ghebreghiorgis also appeared on the ballot, although Ghebreghiorgis withdrew from the race and endorsed Bowman.
The district is heavily Democratic, so the primary winner is virtually assured of victory in the general election in November.
This is where the Democrat party is heading.
Good riddance, what’s the point of having a so called Israel supporter if he won’t stand up to the anti Israel Jew haters in his party and on his commitee and kick her off his commitee, nope he kow towed and lost anyway, longest serving house member to lose a primary in about 50 years.
The voters have spoken. We have to respect that. Now let’s try to connect with him so he should understand our community and our needs.
It’s a new dawn. Good morning.
Great defeat for the shameless impeachment hoaxer and murderous Iran Deal supporter. Faux Israel supporter who refused to support Trump’s embassy move . We’ll see about Jamaal another time ; today we celebrate the downfall of a renegade Jewish leftie and coup pusher.. Thank G-D..
It is always good to see incumbents tossed out. My general rule is to vote against incumbents.
There’s an old saying that goes ‘never ask for a new king’ because he might be worse then the one he’s replacing. So, to all you rejoicing on Engels loss, you might eat your words when bowman shows his true Progressive (drekk) colors.
Point being the the Jews in America are on borrowed time. The goy will teach the Jew that Israel is his true home.
Hashem knows what he is doing. He is sending a message only the Jews are too stubborn to see. We all know what happened to those who refused to leave Egypt. WE all know what happened to those who believed the 10 spies.
Stay in America and have a nice time.
Kvetching about this or that in Eretz Yisroel doesnt change your life in America. Look around. How safe do you feel in your goldeneh medinah? You really believe a New Gulliani will come on the scene to save the day? It wont happen. The woke crowd is taking over and they have no place for Yidden. Its time to up and leave while you can leave.
I’m not sorry to see Engel go; he refused to attend the opening of the USA Embassy in Jerusalem, since Trump sponsored it. However, if Obama had sponsored it, he would have gone. In any event, there should be term limits in Congress. There should be a limit of four terms or eight years for a member of the House, and two terms or twelve years, for a member of the Senate. If the President is limited to two terms, or eight years, there is no sane reason why we can’t limit these career politicians, to the limits mentioned above.