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On Monday, Dec. 4, Latimer, age 70, filed with the Federal Elections Commission to create a committee to raise money for a congressional campaign, according to a copy of the filing obtained by Daily Voice. The filing says it was signed by Latimer on Monday.
The move is the strongest indication yet that Latimer is considering a run for the 16th Congressional District seat, which is currently held by Rep. Jamaal Bowman.
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.
Latimer has been weighing such a run for months and has said he would announce any plans to do so in December, according to a report by Politico.
The possibility of Latimer's run has even influenced other possible candidates for the NY-16 seat, including Democrat Michael Gerald, who announced in late October that he would be pausing his race until Latimer decided if he is running for the same seat or not.
"If George runs, he would be fantastic," Gerald said in October, also saying that he would be an "outstanding candidate."
Latimer has not yet made any official announcement on his run but has made comments comparing himself to Bowman.
"We both have our personalities and we both have our records," he said in an interview with Politico, also adding that Bowman has "been in Congress for three years, and I’ve done a bunch of things over the past three decades."
Any race between Latimer and Bowman would likely be affected by their views on the conflict between Hamas and Israel, according to Politico. Latimer just visited Israel.
Bowman has caused controversy over the past months over his stance on the conflict. Instead of supporting Israel's military effort against the Hamas militant group, Bowman has called for a ceasefire on both sides.
This stance has caused controversy among local Jewish leaders, according to a New York Times report.
Meanwhile, some such as Gerald have said that Latimer has done an excellent job of running Westchester, which he said is home to a "substantial and influential Jewish community."
"Our district, like many others, has experienced a turbulent period with the recent events in the Middle East. The safety and concerns of our constituents are of paramount importance. I believe that George Latimer's leadership and his ability to navigate complex issues will serve the residents of NY-16 exceptionally well during these challenging times," Gerald said when he paused his own race.
Click here to read the full report by Politico.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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