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Who will you vote for in the primary on Tuesday, June 25?
- Jamal Bowman
- George Latimer
- Neither/Not a Registered Democrat
According to new findings from a poll conducted by The Mellman Group, Latimer, age 70, currently holds a 17-point lead over his opponent, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, age 48, the pro-Israel group DMFI PAC announced on Thursday, April 4.
The new analysis was conducted by surveying 400 voters in the 16th District who represent the likely Democratic primary electorate. The survey used a registration-based sample and interviews conducted by landline, cell phone, and text-to-online between Tuesday, March 26, and Saturday, March 30.
The 16th district is made up of the southern part of Westchester, including the suburban cities of White Plains, Mount Vernon, Yonkers, New Rochelle, and Rye, and a small portion of the northern Bronx.
The poll indicates that Latimer holds 52 percent of the Democratic primary vote, while Bowman holds 35 percent.
"To put it plainly, Congressman Bowman’s constituents are very unhappy with him but very impressed with County Executive Latimer," said DMFI PAC Chairman Mark Mellman of the results, also adding, "The combination of Latimer’s sterling image and voters’ distinctly negative assessments of Bowman may cost the incumbent congressman his seat."
The Congressional race has gained national attention thanks to each candidate's opposing views on the Israel-Gaza conflict. Since the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on Saturday, Oct. 7, and the subsequent military campaign that followed, Bowman has been one of the loudest voices calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, according to reports.
Meanwhile, Latimer has been more sympathetic towards Israel and visited the country weeks after the attack. He has since indicated support for an immediate cease-fire of at least six weeks, though.
The two opposing sides of the issue represented by each candidate have exposed tensions within the Democratic party and have become an important issue in the 16th District, which has one of the country's densest populations of Jewish residents in Westchester.
Voters will choose between Latimer and Bowman on Tuesday, June 25.
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