George Latimer, who is challenging Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) in the Democratic primary in New York’s 16th congressional district, defended a controversial remark he made in a debate this month.
The race has become the most expensive House primary in history thanks to outside spending from pro-Israel groups such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and affiliated organizations. More than $23 million has been spent on the race so far. The majority of the money has been spent against Bowman, who has been critical of Israel’s siege of Gaza in response to the Oct. 7 terror attacks.
During a debate earlier this month, Latimer accused Bowman of raising money from outside the district.
“When you get as much money as you get from outside the district, your constituency is Dearborn, Michigan. Your constituency is San Francisco, California,” Latimer said. Dearborn has a large Arab American population, and critics seized on the remark with Bowman accusing Latimer of using an anti-Arab “dog whistle.”