The political scene in Westchester, New York was disrupted earlier this week when the leader of the Democratic Party in the County, and the current County Executive, George Latimer, announced his intention to challenge Representative Jamaal Bowman in the Democratic primary.
Latimer cited his positions on civil rights, public safety, infrastructure, and economic recovery as the reasons for his campaign. He believes that Congress is not doing enough to fight for people in power to represent the voices of working families. He believes that Bowman, who has held office since 2019, is not doing enough to push for change.
Bowman responded in a statement, saying he was “deeply disappointed” in Latimer’s decision to challenge him. He said Latimer was “supporting the status quo that has allowed for discrimination, poverty, and racial inequities to continue in our communities for too long.” He also said that he has a “strong track record of fighting for the people of Westchester” and that he looks forward to sharing his “record of progress and action” with the community.
Latimer, who ran for Governor of New York in 2018 but withdrew before the primary, said that he is running a positive campaign and that he “strongly believes there is a real alternative to what Congress has been doing.” He is running on a platform of civil rights, criminal justice reform, infrastructure, and economic development.
The Democratic primary race will be an important one as it will determine the party’s nominee in the November general election. Latimer is a popular and well-respected official in Westchester and his primary challenge to Bowman is sure to make this race even more competitive. How the results of this race will shape the future of Westchester remains to be seen.
