Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts entered one of the nation's most competitive House primaries on Thursday, offering a helping hand to an endangered left-leaning ally, Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York.
Warren, a national liberal standard-bearer, has endorsed Bowman since he first ran in 2020. But Bowman's campaign hopes her new endorsement will remind educated white liberals that Bowman needs to defend his seat against a well-funded Democratic challenger.
In a statement to The New York Times, Warren said Bowman is being targeted by “corporate interests” because of his support for ambitious left-wing policies like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal.
Though she did not mention the Gaza war, her remarks appeared to be an implicit reference to a super PAC aimed at promoting Israeli interests in American politics. The group has made Bowman, a vocal critic of Israel's war effort, its biggest target, and has already spent more than $10 million trying to defeat him.
“We've worked with President Biden on a plan to protect renters and lower housing costs,” Warren said. “We look forward to continuing to work side by side to take on MAGA extremists and work for working families.”
The senator is the latest high-profile lawmaker to announce he will take a side ahead of the June 25 primary between Bowman and Westchester County Mayor George Latimer.
Bowman, a second-term congressman, has largely secured the support of the party's left wing, including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and advocacy groups such as Planned Parenthood Action Fund.
A mainstream Democrat, Latimer enjoys strong support from New York's moderate political faction.
Earlier this week, Latimer won the endorsement of one of Bowman's former liberal allies. Former Rep. Mondaire Jones, who is running to reclaim a neighboring House seat, told The New York Times that Bowman's criticism of Israel since October 7 has created a “long, bitter nightmare” for the district.