{"id":2284359,"date":"2024-06-27T03:22:02","date_gmt":"2024-06-27T07:22:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/after-bowmans-loss-in-new-york-pro-israel-lobby-eyes-next-targets-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-06-27T03:25:32","modified_gmt":"2024-06-27T07:25:32","slug":"after-bowmans-loss-in-new-york-pro-israel-lobby-eyes-next-targets-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/after-bowmans-loss-in-new-york-pro-israel-lobby-eyes-next-targets-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"After Bowman\u2019s loss in New York, pro-Israel lobby eyes next targets &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fafter-bowmans-loss-in-new-york-pro-israel-lobby-eyes-next-targets-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2284359&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Pro-Israel groups have expressed determination to continue their political activities following the \u200cdefeat\u2063 of Rep. Jamaal Bowman by George Latimer in\u2064 New\u2063 York. \u200cBowman\u2019s loss is seen as a significant blow to \u2062progressive critics\u2063 of Israel, reflecting the impact of intense campaign strategies and spending by groups\u200b like\u200c the American Israel Public\u2064 Affairs Committee\u2019s United \u200dDemocracy Project, Democratic\u2063 Majority\u2064 for Israel PAC,\u2064 and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/katie-porter-calls-california-senate-race-rigged\/\" title=\"Katie Porter alleges California Senate race is 'rigged\">crypto-aligned<\/a> PAC\u200b named Fairshake.<\/p>\n<p>Bowman \u2064faced criticism for his\u200b stance on Israel, exacerbated by controversial remarks\u2062 about Hamas and subsequent apologies, which alienated pro-Israel voters. Pro-Israel groups invested \u200bheavily in the race, using \u200dstrategies ranging from attack ads to promoting \u200cLatimer\u2019s campaign, and also exploited \u200cBowman&#8217;s past controversies,\u200b including his action in a Capitol fire alarm incident and his associations with controversial\u2064 figures and theories.<\/p>\n<p>The focus remains strong on upcoming primaries, particularly\u2063 Rep. Cori Bush\u2019s \u2064challenge by Wesley Bell, with substantial financial campaigns planned against Bush and other Israel critics by pro-Israel entities. AIPAC and its affiliates \u2063began a \u200dconcerted spending \u2063effort \u200da month and a half prior to Bowman&#8217;s primary and are actively engaging in other races, signaling ongoing and \u200dstrategic involvement in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/microsoft-targeted-by-hacking-group-backed-by-chinese-government\/\" title=\"Microsoft Targeted By Hacking Group Backed By Chinese Government\">political campaigns<\/a> to influence outcomes favorable to their \u2064stance on\u2063 Israel.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>Pro-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/israel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Israel\">Israel<\/a> groups are vowing their work is far from over in the wake of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jamaal-bowman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Israel\">Rep. Jamaal Bowman\u2019s (D-NY)<\/a> loss in New York at the hands of Westchester County Executive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/live-blog-posts\/bowman-loses-house-seat-in-shocking-primary-upset\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Israel\">George Latimer<\/a> on Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Bowman\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/3057326\/bowman-primary-squad-democrat-israel-new-york\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>defeat<\/a> represents a high-profile rebuke of Congress\u2019s most progressive members, dealing a significant setback for progressive critics of Israel in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/herschel-walker-offers-to-pay-rent-for-anyone-facing-eviction-by-raphael-warnocks-church\/\" title=\"Herschel Walker Offers To Pay Rent for Anyone Facing Eviction by Raphael Warnock\u2019s Church\">closely watched race<\/a> with national implications. <\/p>\n<p>The former middle school principal in the Bronx was under fire for his call for a ceasefire days after Hamas\u2019s Oct. 7 attack inside Israel. His comments in mid-November telling pro-Palestinian protesters that reports of sexual violence by Hamas were \u201cpropaganda\u201d further damaged his chances with pro-Israel voters in his district, even after he apologized.<\/p>\n<p>The American Israel Public Affairs Committee\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/marriott-att-airbnbheres-the-list-of-corporations-announcing-they-wont-donate-to-gop-lawmakers-who-objected-to-electoral-votes-from-contested-states\/\" title=\"Marriott, AT&#038;T, Airbnb\u2026Here\u2019s The List Of Corporations Announcing They Won\u2019t Donate To GOP Lawmakers Who Objected To Electoral Votes From Contested States\">political action committee<\/a>, known as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/independent-expenditures\/?two_year_transaction_period=2024&#038;data_type=processed&#038;q_spender=C00799031&#038;cycle=2024&#038;is_notice=false&#038;most_recent=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>the United Democracy Project<\/a>, spent nearly $15 million on the primary. The <a href=\"https:\/\/demmajorityforisrael.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Democratic Majority for Israel PAC<\/a> spent nearly $1 million on the race as well. A third PAC called Fairshake, which is crypto-aligned, also backed Latimer with more than $2 million in spending. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe couldn\u2019t be more pleased with the outcome,\u201d Mark Mellman, a Democratic pollster and president and CEO of DMFI, said in an interview with the <em>Washington Examiner. <\/em>\u201cGeorge Latimer deserved to win this race and Jamal Bowman deserved to lose it, and that\u2019s exactly what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe voters are smart,\u201d he said. \u201cThey know what to pay attention to. If there hadn\u2019t been a strong case here, voters wouldn\u2019t have paid attention to it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/independent-expenditures\/?two_year_transaction_period=2024&#038;data_type=processed&#038;q_spender=C00799031&#038;cycle=2024&#038;is_notice=false&#038;most_recent=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Campaign finance records<\/a> show that the funding from pro-Israel groups in the race was utilized in a variety of ways. The groups spent a record amount of money on attack ads on the airwaves, mailers with negative ads, phone banking, and canvassing, while also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/independent-expenditures\/?data_type=processed&#038;q_spender=C00710848&#038;is_notice=true&#038;most_recent=true&#038;candidate_office=H&#038;candidate_office_state=NY&#038;candidate_office_district=16&#038;min_date=01%2F01%2F2023&#038;max_date=12%2F31%2F2024\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>boosting<\/a> Latimer\u2019s candidacy. <\/p>\n<p>In some cases, the pro-Israel groups weren\u2019t entirely focused on Bowman\u2019s stance on Israel. They also highlighted Bowman\u2019s other vulnerabilities. The member of the progressive House \u201cSquad\u201d has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/2441811\/jamaal-bowman-latest-democrat-to-be-censured-following-false-fire-alarm-incident\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>drawn scrutiny<\/a>, specifically after he pulled the fire alarm in a Capitol office building ahead of a vote to avoid a government shutdown. He was censured by the House. Earlier this year, an old blog post from Bowman was recovered that showed he once circulated conspiracy theories about 9\/11.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe had a very vigorous opposition research and press program that brought to the surface about a dozen stories critical of Bowman in January, February, and March,\u201d a person involved with a major Israel lobbying group said, speaking on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n<p>The person said their team of researchers found the receipts of Bowman circulating the 9\/11 conspiracy theories. They also unearthed the tape in which the congressman had praised Holocaust denier Norman Finkelstein. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think you\u2019d have to say that the money that we and others spent was a lot less effective than the free press strategy we employed,\u201d the person added.<\/p>\n<p>Next up is the Aug. 6 primary that pits Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) against challenger St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell. AIPAC has unveiled a plan to spend up to $100 million to unseat Bush and her fellow Israel critics. However, the groups aren\u2019t being specific about their future plans with the fear of tipping off their opponents. <\/p>\n<p>According to campaign finance <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/independent-expenditures\/?two_year_transaction_period=2024&#038;data_type=processed&#038;q_spender=C00799031&#038;cycle=2024&#038;is_notice=false&#038;most_recent=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>records<\/a>, AIPAC\u2019s affiliate didn\u2019t start spending heavily in Bowman\u2019s congressional race until about a month and a half before the primary. Overall, the group has spent $1.9 million in support of Bell and $213,000 against Bush, according to independent expenditures. Most recently, it invested on May 29 in support of Bell, one payment of nearly $17,200 for media production and another payment of nearly $390,200 for media placement. Those payments likely were reflected in the data tracked by AdImpact, which noted approximately $320,000 in ad reservations for cable, radio, satellite, and other formats from the expenditure arm in late May. So far, DMFI has not spent any money in this race, according to the records. <\/p>\n<p>Bell has far outpaced Bush in fundraising. But a quarterly fundraising report will be due in mid July with new figures. Bell\u2019s campaign ended April with $1.1 million cash on hand to Bush\u2019s $528,000. Bell has received more than $360,000 in individual contributions earmarked as having been directed to his campaign through AIPAC. <\/p>\n<p>Nearly two weeks later, on Aug. 13, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) will face off against former Minneapolis City Councilman Don Samuels in a Democratic primary. Samuels only lost to Omar by two points in the primary in 2022. So far, Omar is significantly outraising Samuels, and pro-Israel groups have not participated in the race. But Samuels\u2019s campaign manager <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/12\/15\/us\/politics\/aipac-israel-democrats-ilhan-omar.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>told the<em> New York Times<\/em><\/a>  that $4 million would be enough to defeat Omar. <\/p>\n<p>While some Democratic strategists acknowledge Latimer was a strong candidate and that greatly contributed to Bowman\u2019s loss, they also believe the pro-Israel groups will deploy a similar playbook in the August races, hoping to build on their success.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCori Bush is an extremely flawed candidate. Ilhan Omar is an extremely flawed candidate. I think if you\u2019re both of these lawmakers who have very, very credible challengers from within their own communities \u2014 I would be quaking in my boots today because now there is a proven model that works,\u201d Jon Reinish, a prominent Democratic strategist, said. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cA lot of the messaging wasn\u2019t about how terrible and flawed these people\u2019s records are on Israel, on antisemitism. A lot of it was about times they broke with President Biden,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>Bush reflected on Bowman\u2019s loss and attempted to get out in front of looming spending in her race, issuing a statement on Tuesday calling the Israel lobby\u2019s involvement the equivalent of dark money trying to \u201cbuy our democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAIPAC and their allies \u2014 backed by far-right Donald Trump megadonors \u2014 poured a tidal wave of cash into this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-gop-says-good-riddance-to-bowman-as-democrats-call-red-alert-on-primary-spending-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"House GOP says good riddance to Bowman as Democrats call \u2018red alert\u2019 on primary spending- Washington Examiner\">primary race showing<\/a> us just how desperate these billionaire extremists are in their attempts to buy our democracy, promote their own gain, and silence the voices of progress and justice,\u201d Bush wrote.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pro-Israel organizations assert their efforts will continue after Rep. Jamaal Bowman&#8217;s (D-NY) defeat by George Latimer in New York. Bowman&#8217;s loss marks a significant blow to Congress&#8217;s progressive faction and a setback for progressive critics of Israel<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2284360,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bowmanisraeltargets.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[17323,32120,32975,4841,32076],"class_list":["post-2284359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-bowman","tag-new-york","tag-pro-israel-lobby","tag-targets","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/bowmanisraeltargets.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2284359","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2284359"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2284359\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2284360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2284359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2284359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2284359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}