WASHINGTON (TND) — Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., tried to throw a knockout punch Monday against his primary challenger George Latimer, accusing him of promoting racial stereotypes.
Latimer, the current Westchester County, N.Y. Executive, is vying for Rep. Bowman’s House seat representing New York’s 16th Congressional District. The debate between the two descended into chaos as the two launched a snarky back-and-forth.
He’s an ineffective congressman,” Latimer said of Rep. Bowman during the debate. “He argues.”“The people here understand passion,” Rep. Bowman fired back. “They know that we need passion in this moment. You want to go to Washington and play nice with Marjorie Taylor Greene?”
“You vote with her so why shouldn’t you play nice with her?” Latimer asked. “When you work in a legislative body, you need to form coalitions with people. You need to have their respect, you need to talk to them like normal people. You can’t preach and scream at them on the steps of the capitol.”
The angry Black man,” Rep. Bowman said, raising his arms. “The angry Black man. It’s the southern strategy in the north.”The event’s moderator then encouraged the two to “stay on topic.”
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Rep. Bowman has become known for taking aggressive stances on hot-button issues as a member of the ultra-progressive congressional group “The Squad.” The representative said last week the Biden administration’s decision to halt weapons shipments to Israel proves demonstrations in favor of Palestine are working.
“We have to keep standing for what is right,” he wrote. “Organizing is working. Protesting is working. Keep fighting for a #CeasefireNow.”
The representative also faced sharp backlash in 2023 for pulling a fire alarm in the Capitol building during a vote to fund the federal government and avert a shutdown.
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