Thank you for continuing to cover the Bowman-Latimer primary race with depth and frankness while keeping it fair. This whole series offers a fresh model for the thoughtful local journalism that our country so desperately needs.
Thank you for writing this. As far as the race in Westchester, I think the framing as a "restoration" is a good one. But I think race - the loss of some white supremacy - is playing a larger role than this article implies. We will know more about this in a future/rearview mirror, but I think a wish to return Westchester politics to "whitechester" politics is playing a large role in this election.
Just to add that JVP Action (JVP’s sister org) has been throwing down hard in the field for Bowman for a couple of months as part of Jews for Jamaal, making tens of thousands of phone calls and knocking thousands of doors
Now that we're in the unhappy post-mortem phase... I think your criticisms of the campaign are fair. AND I think they were all present (with the exception of the fire alarm incident) in 2022. AIPAC's deluge had a considerable impact.
And frankly, the fire alarm only had the impact it did because of race. No one can convince me that a white elected official would have been punished so harshly for such a mistake -- which, by the way, gave Dems time to read the bill they were about to vote on. I was waiting for the outcry in his defense and it never came.
We'll never be able to prove a negative, but I think if Jamaal were James and all the other conditions were the same, AIPAC would have invested less and he would have kept his seat. But of course, he is who he is because he's a Black man in America.
Thank you for continuing to cover the Bowman-Latimer primary race with depth and frankness while keeping it fair. This whole series offers a fresh model for the thoughtful local journalism that our country so desperately needs.
Couldn’t agree more
Thank you for writing this. As far as the race in Westchester, I think the framing as a "restoration" is a good one. But I think race - the loss of some white supremacy - is playing a larger role than this article implies. We will know more about this in a future/rearview mirror, but I think a wish to return Westchester politics to "whitechester" politics is playing a large role in this election.
Yeah, that's a very clear way to put it. There's definitely a racial backlash across the country and here too.
More to say later. For now a fact check: I refer you to https://www.jvpaction.org/our-2024-candidates/ to see list of endorsed candidates in the NY16th and other "Squad" races
Fair point.
Just to add that JVP Action (JVP’s sister org) has been throwing down hard in the field for Bowman for a couple of months as part of Jews for Jamaal, making tens of thousands of phone calls and knocking thousands of doors
Now that we're in the unhappy post-mortem phase... I think your criticisms of the campaign are fair. AND I think they were all present (with the exception of the fire alarm incident) in 2022. AIPAC's deluge had a considerable impact.
And frankly, the fire alarm only had the impact it did because of race. No one can convince me that a white elected official would have been punished so harshly for such a mistake -- which, by the way, gave Dems time to read the bill they were about to vote on. I was waiting for the outcry in his defense and it never came.
We'll never be able to prove a negative, but I think if Jamaal were James and all the other conditions were the same, AIPAC would have invested less and he would have kept his seat. But of course, he is who he is because he's a Black man in America.
Excellent article, Mich. Thank you.
After reading this nuanced article, I wonder if many people will just stay home.
Thank you for writing this. Could you please share the entire Brian Lehrer newsletter as I can’t find it online