Jamaal Bowmans defeat reveals deep schism haunting Democrats as November nears

The most expensive congressional primary election ever ended in Westchester County with the lopsided defeat of socialist incumbent Rep.Jamaal Bowman by George Latimer, who has held various local and state posts.The election, which got so contentious that it was hard to remember that it was a Democratic primary, garnered national attention because it appeared to be the first time a member of the congressional “Squad” would face defeat.Even before his election in 2020, Bowman’s rhetoric on Israel was tendentious and ugly.“Just as the police force is a violent intimidating force in so many black communities,” Bowman wrote, echoing a common argument made by the police abolition movement, “I can connect to what it feels like for Palestinians to feel the presence of the military in their daily lives in the West Bank.”After the Oct.

7 Hamas attack on Israel, Bowman emerged as one of the most dedicated opponents of Israel in mainstream American politics, minimizing Hamas atrocities until just before the election.The campaign came down to the question of “AIPAC money,” or campaign contributions from groups affiliated with the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee.Bowman and his surrogates harped on the influx of money from “AIPAC and their Republican billionaires.”At a rally in The Bronx a few days before the vote, Bowman’s fellow representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez swore to “take on AIPAC and kick some Wall Street ass!”The socialist stalwart continued, “These Wall Street people don’t give a damn about us.

AIPAC doesn’t give a damn about us.AIPAC doesn’t give a damn about The Bronx.

They don’t give a damn about Westchester.”Sen.Bernie Sanders denounced the “billionaire class and their greed,” and Bowman repeated his new catchphrase: “It’s the many against the money!”Railing against money in politics is a quaint theme for Democrats these days.

Decades ago, the Democratic Party regularly bemoaned the baleful influenc...