Progressives Drag Hillary Clinton for Endorsing Jamaal Bowman’s Opponent: ‘Funded by Pro-Trump GOP Donors’

Charlie NashJun 12th, 2024, 8:11 pm
 

AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was condemned by progressives on Wednesday after she endorsed Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s (D-NY) AIPAC-backed Democratic primary challenger, George Latimer.

“With Trump on the ballot, we need strong, principled Democrats in Congress more than ever,” wrote Clinton in her endorsement. “In Congress, @LatimerforNY will protect abortion rights, stand up to the NRA, and fight for President Biden’s agenda—just like he’s always done. Make a plan to vote by June 25th!”

Clinton received immediate backlash from progressive Democrats and independents, who pointed out that Latimer was backed by a pro-Trump GOP donor and had been accused of making Islamophobic comments.

“Someone explain to me how a candidate funded by pro-Trump GOP donors is a ‘strong principled Democrat’ who will stand up to Trump. smh absurd,” reacted SiriusXM host Qasim Rashid, while former Bernie Sanders press secretary Briahna Joy Gray tweeted, “If it wasn’t already clear who *not* to vote for, Hillary Clinton endorsed the AIPAC challenger to @RepBowman, who recently dog whistled that Bowman’s constituency was Dearborn.”

SiriusXM host and CNN contributor Dean Obeidallah protested, “Hillary just endorsed a man who openly trafficked in anti-Muslim and anti-Arab bigotry. Anti-Muslim hate–just like anti-Jewish hate–has no place in the Democratic party. Hillary 100% knows what Latimer did- she simply doesn’t care.”

The New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), meanwhile, posted a meme of Clinton as the Grim Reaper getting ready to kill Latimer’s campaign with her endorsement.

Bowman – who has been a vocal critic of Israel’s bombing campaign against civilians in Gaza – responded to Clinton’s endorsement on Wednesday with a statement distinguishing himself from Latimer, who he accused of being backed by “right-wing special interest groups.”

“I’m proud to be the only candidate in this race endorsed by Planned Parenthood, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and 1199 SEIU, and the only candidate who rejects right-wing special interest groups like AIPAC,” Bowman declared.

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