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Westchester County Executive George Latimer easily defeated two-time incumbent Jamaal Bowman in the District 16 race, 58 percent to 41 percent, with 84 percent of the vote in, according to the New York State Board of Elections.
With $25 million spent, it was the most expensive Congressional primary race in US history and one that became contentious over debates on the Israel-Hamas war.
The district includes the southern portion of Westchester, including White Plains, Mount Vernon, Yonkers, New Rochelle, and Rye, and a small part of the northern Bronx.
On Long Island, former CNN anchor John Avlon trounced Nancy Goroff, 70 percent to 30 percent, in District 1, which includes the east end of the Hamptons, as well as suburban areas of the north shore.
Goroff is a retired chemistry professor at Stony Brook University, where she served as chair of the school’s chemistry department.
The 51-year-old Avlon will face Republican incumbent Nick LaLota in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Latimer, age 70, is the first challenger to defeat a member of the so-called "Squad," a left-wing group of members in the Democratic party. He's a heavy favorite to win the general election since District 16 is so heavily Democratic.
“This is in fact the 'many,' Latimer said in his victory speech on Tuesday night, June 25 in White Plains. "This is the 'many' of Westchester and the Bronx. Tonight we turn the page, and say we believe in the inclusion of everyone.
"You are included no matter what your demographic is. It doesn't matter your age, the color of your skin, your religion, sexual identity, whether you’re a Met fan or a Yankee fan, we will govern so everyone is included.
"We will consider the needs of everyone in the district. We see in this room the men and women of labor, they represent the secretaries, plumbers, carpenters, firefighters, and the people like my mom and dad, who work with their hands. We’re all included."
Avlon, who also was a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun and chief speech writer for former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, campaigned on several core Democratic issues, including preserving abortion rights and restoring the ban on assault weapons.
"Thank you to every member of our team who helped make this happen," Avlon said Tuesday night. "We proved the positive defeats negative & the politics of addition defeats the politics of division. That will be the key to victory in the fall."
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