More than 2,000 registered Republican and unaffiliated voters in Westchester County, New York, switched political parties and re-enrolled as Democrats ahead of the party’s congressional primary, which pits Squad member Rep. Jamaal Bowman against longtime Empire State elected official George Latimer.
“Westchester Unites, a campaign of Teach Action Fund, has successfully re-enrolled over 1,660 voters in New York’s 16th Congressional District ahead of the Feb. 14 deadline, representing 13% of their targeted group – a figure that outpaces similar efforts, signaling sky-high interest in the primary among Jewish voters,” Westchester Unites said in a press release this week, which was provided to Fox News Digital.
More than 2,300 voters in Westchester County’s portion of New York’s 16th Congressional District – Bowman’s Distrcit – switched to the Democratic Party between December and Valentine’s Day, the deadline in order to vote in the primary, LoHud reported this week. Only registered Democrats are able to vote in the primary election, which will be held on June 25.
Westchester Unites is a group that’s been at the forefront of the push to re-enroll voters, mostly Jewish residents, as Democrats.
The group launched a $1.6 million campaign in January to re-enroll voters as Democrats, including establishing a voter education office in New Rochelle that will continue operating through election season. All in, the campaign sent out 77,629 mailers “through seven rounds of mail,” 24,876 text messages, made 6,473 calls and knocked on 1,178 doors ahead of the Feb. 14 deadline.
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A mailer sent to Westchester County voters urging Republicans and Independents to registers as Democrats ahead of Rep. Bowman facing off against primary challenger George Latimer. (Fox News Digital )
“We’ve looked at re-enrollment campaigns around the country, and while an effective effort might see a 2% conversion rate on the high end, 13% is an indicator of just how motivated this community was by this election,” Dan Mitzner, Policy Director for Teach Action Fund, said in comment provided to Fox Digital. “This election, the people on the ballot, and what they represent, have clearly ignited this community – the success of this campaign is a true testament to their passion and dedication.”
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A mailer sent to Westchester County voters urging Republicans and Independents to registers as Democrats ahead of the 2024 primary. (Fox News Digital )
Westchester Unites said in mailers and texts sent to voters that “antisemitism is on the ballot” and that “Community and family transcend politics.”
The mailers, which were previously reviewed by Fox News Digital, did not cite Bowman nor his Democratic challenger Latimer, the current county executive of Westchester County campaigning for Congress, though the campaign targeted voters in Bowman’s district.
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“Why change your enrollment?” a text message from the group reviewed by Fox News Digital asks. “Because this district is overwhelmingly Democratic, which means the next Member of Congress will essentially be determined in the Democratic primary.”
Mitzner said in the press release that their efforts “are simply to enable as many people as possible to vote, especially in the current climate of hate and hostility toward the Jewish community.”
“Unfortunately, there are reports of those looking to do the opposite – suppress voices and obstruct peoples’ ability to participate in this election. This notion of wanting fewer people to be able to vote, to have their voices be heard, is disturbing, alarming, and frankly un-democratic,” he said.
Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., arrives to the U.S. Capitol during the last votes of the week on Thursday, May 25, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Bowman’s re-election campaign has been mired in controversy over comments some voters and national viewers have slammed as anti-Israel. Bowman’s district encompasses Westchester County’s southern suburban areas and parts of the Bronx, and is home to a large Jewish community.
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The “Squad” member has come under fire for boycotting Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s speech to Congress this past summer, defending Rep. Pramila Jayapal when she was criticized for saying that Israel is a “racist state” and calling for a ceasefire soon after war broke out in Israel on Oct. 7.
Bowman has repeatedly denounced antisemitism amid criticisms of his previous remarks, as well as condemned Hamas’ attack on Israel when the war began on Oct. 7.
The New York congressman also faced national heat last year after he pulled a fire alarm in the House of Representatives before lawmakers voted to avert a government shutdown. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor, with House members later voting to censure Bowman for the act.
Latimer, meanwhile, is running on a pro-Israel platform, and pitched himself to voters in December as the candidate “who will listen to every voice, not just those who agree with him, & who will deliver on the issues that matter” if elected to Congress.
Westchester, New York, County Executive George Latimer. (Westechester County )
The Democratic challenger has more than 35 years of New York politics under his belt, and touts himself as a political leader who has never lost “an election after over three decades in public office.”
When asked about voter data showing residents switching to the Democratic Party ahead of the primary, Bowman campaign spokesman Bill Neidhardt argued in comment to LoHud that “Latimer should reject Republican interference in Democratic primaries, not base his campaign on it.” He additionally tied GOP donors to the Latimer campaign, according to LoHud.
Latimer’s office subsequently called out “hypocrisy” when asked about the Bowman campaign’s comment, LoHud reported. Latimer’s team said the Bowman campaign simultaneously panned Westchester Unites’ efforts to register voters as Democrats while sending out their own campaign materials also urging voters to register as Democrats in the primary.
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“This is the level of hypocrisy that voters have sadly come to expect from Congressmember Bowman,” the Latimer campaign said in a statement, according to the outlet. “The mindset that there should be special rules for Bowman supporters while the same actions by others are somehow wrong is a Trumpian attack on the very concept of democracy.”
Bowman’s and Latimer’s campaigns did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for additional comment.
