Neighboring NY House Democrats Trade Brutal Insults Ahead of Heated Primaries
Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images
New York Democrats, Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Ritchie Torres, traded jabs over the weekend after Bowman accused Torres of being in the pocket of the “Israel lobby.”
Bowman, who is facing an uphill reelection battle in NY’s 16th district, made the comments to fierce anti-Israel activist Marc Lamont Hill on Friday night.
“I think that he’s trying to gain political power for himself towards an ultimate objective,” Bowman said of Torres, adding, “I don’t know if it’s [for] US Senate. I don’t know what it is.”
“Ritchie is very calculating in this way … Ritchie – he just seems to be always plotting, always calculating something,” Bowman fumed, suggesting that Torres (who is running for reelection unchallenged in neighboring NY 15) is being influenced by the “power of the Israel lobby.”
Torres has been staunchly pro-Israel since Hamas’s brutal attack on October 7th and has joined with the majority of his fellow Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), in voting for additional aid to Israel. Lamont Hill, who recently hosted a show on Al Jazeera and has publicly argued that Hamas should not be viewed as a terrorist organization, pressed Bowman on the difference between Jeffries and Torres on Israel.
Bowman replied by claiming that Jeffries is “authentic” on the issue while Torres is “calculating.”
Torres hit back at Bowman’s jabs saying, “I care as much about his opinion on me as I do about his opinion on how to properly pull a fire alarm or his opinion on how to remain in Congress. His opinion of me is worse than a rubber stamp—it leaves no impression, much like his legislative record.”
Torres was referring to an incident last year that resulted in Bowman being censured by the House in December after he pulled a fire alarm in an apparent effort to disrupt a vote. Bowman initially claimed he “mistakenly” pulled the alarm while rushing to vote. However, security footage was later made public that clearly showed the congressman calmly taking down warning signs on blocked exit doors noting that a fire alarm would sound if doors were opened before eventually pulling the alarm.
The latest poll from Bowman’s primary shows his moderate opponent, George Latimer, with a 17-point lead over the progressive incumbent. Bowman also took a swipe at Torres for no longer being part of the so-called “Squad.”
“The Squad has a group chat. Ritchie Torres ain’t in it,” Bowman boasted. Torres left the Progressive Caucus earlier in the year. Reps. Lois Frankel (D-FL), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) – who is running for the U.S. Senate in purple Arizona, have also left the Progressive Caucus this year.
“Needless to say, I am not remotely heartbroken,” Torres replied online to Bowman’s comment about the group chat, adding, “I do, however, look forward to remaining in Congress.”
Torres also ripped Bowman for claiming he still has support in the Jewish community in his district, saying, “On what planet?”
“Imagine me saying: ‘Thank God I still have a lot of support within the Democratic Socialists of America,’” Torres added.
