Ritchie Torres, the first LGBT Afro-Latino to become a congressional representative, clashed with now former ally Jamaal Bowman after receiving criticism of his support for Israel, as more Democrats become at odds over its actions during the country's war with Hamas.
The feud was catalyzed by a statement from Bowman, also a New York Representative, in a podcast interview on Saturday. He described Torres' pro-Israel stance as "very calculated" and aimed at gaining "political power for himself toward an ultimate objective."
"I don't know if it's U.S. Senate. I don't know what it is. But it's something," added Bowman, who is now facing a tough primary challenge from pro-Israel Westchester County executive George Latimer in his upcoming Democratic primary, which will take place on June 25.
Torres, on his end, told Axios that he has a "general rule of not weighing in against a Congressional Democrated who has not weighed in against me," but that "Bowman's gratuitous attack on my character might cause" him to "rethink that rule."
He then posted on X, recalling the moment when Bowman pulled a fire alarm in Capitol Hill last year, an action that led him to be censored by the House, and saying: "His opinion of me is worse than a rubber stamp —it leaves no impression, much like his legislative record."
The outlet recalled that Bowman's increasingly pro-Palestine positions have put him at odds with other now former allies. Former Rep. Mondaire Jones, who is running in an adjacent swing district, endorsed Latimer saying him and Bowman have "very different views on Israel," and that he was "horrified" by some of his comments on the issue.
A recent poll by Emerson College shows that Latimer had a double-digit lead (48% to 31%) in early June. The study highlighted that primary voters align more with Latimer's views on the Israel-Hamas war by 45% to 29%.
Bowman is backed by House Democratic leadership, but Latimer received former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's endorsement recently. Latimer has also outraised Bowman by $5.8 million to Bowman's $4.3 million. The political arm of pro-Israel group AIPAC has poured additional millions on ads against Bowman.
The clash is one of many examples of Democrats' differing views on Israel's actions in Gaza as the war is well into its eight month. On Sunday, Rep. Ro Khanna, from California, said that a number of lawmakers are planning to boycott or protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress next month, although he clarified it would be done with decorum.
Some progressive lawmakers, according to Axios, are planning to attend the speech but disrupt it as they criticize the toll the war has had on Palestinian civilians.
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