The race to unseat Rep. Jamaal Bowman in New York’s 16th District has become one of the most expensive races on record, with ad-tracking firm AdImpact reporting a total of over $25 million in ad spending as of Tuesday morning. The bulk of this spending has been driven by a super PAC aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which is supporting challenger Westchester County Executive George Latimer in an effort to unseat the incumbent Bowman.
The super PAC, known as the United Democracy Project, has poured nearly $15 million into ad spending for this race, comprising more than half of the total ad spending. This amount surpasses the super PAC's spending on any other race in the current election cycle.
The competitive primary race has brought to light deep divisions within the Democratic party, particularly between the establishment and progressive factions. These divisions have been evident on various issues, including the conflict in Gaza, with Bowman, a member of the progressive “Squad” of House Democrats, being a vocal critic of Israel and advocating for a more left-leaning approach from the Biden administration. This stance has prompted a barrage of attack ads from the United Democracy Project.
Aside from the significant spending by the super PAC, numerous other outside groups and both candidates themselves have also invested millions in ad spending for this high-profile race. As a result, New York airwaves have been inundated with a deluge of sharp attack ads from various sources.
