Latest primaries result in a victory for Boebert, and a collapse of Bowman
Plus, Eric Hovde's bizarre Juneteenth interview.
Progressive politics was dealt a blow on Wednesday night when far-right Rep. Lauren Bobert (R-CO) successfully won her primary, contrasting with “Squad” member Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), who was defeated by a conservative Democrat.
Boebert handily won her race — which included five other candidates — with 43.4% of the vote.
“2024 is when we take Colorado back. It’s when we take our nation back and we set a path on a new trajectory for conservative values, for Christian morals, that we would be a righteous nation recognized throughout the world once again,” Boebert told a crowd following her victory.
Boebert will face Trisha Calvarese, a political greenhorn with roots in the labor movement, in November. While initial polling shows Boebert beating Calvarese, data collected by Keating Research finds that once potential voters are informed about the incumbent’s policy record, opinions shift rapidly.
“Particularly concerning is that Boebert voted against a bill that provided healthcare for our veterans and that Boebert backed a law that would ban abortion across the nation without exceptions. After hearing these concerns about Lauren Boebert, Trisha Calvarese leads this race by 9 points,” a Keating report reads.
Meanwhile, Bowman was handed a loss to his opponent, George Latimer, due to a combination of factors. For starters, Bowman’s district — which was originally primarily organized around diverse neighborhoods in the Bronx — was reorchestrated to include whiter, more affluent areas in Westchester County.
Additionally, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) funneled an unprecedented amount of money into Latimer’s war chest because of Bowman’s criticism of the war in Gaza. The $14.5 million contribution made the contest the most expensive House race in history.
Bowman’s loss is a major blow to a party looking to appeal to disengaged, younger voters. And it could be a foreboding signal of things to come: AIPAC has also been invested in dethroning Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), another progressive congressperson who has also been critical of Israel.
During a radio interview last week, Wisconsin Republican Senate candidate Eric Hovde made a rapid series of gaffes, including saying he is involved in Black culture through running homeless shelters for abandoned African children.Hovde is attempting to be relatable towards a constituency that typically eschews the party. But while speaking with 101.7 The Truth, a Milwaukee-based Black talk radio station, during the city’s Juneteenth celebration, the 15 minute interview became predictably awkward.
In an overly affected Wisconsin accent, Hovde disparaged his opponent Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D) and President Joe Biden, deriding federal spending as the cause of inflation. Hovde also emphasized a key Republican talking point: immigrants are taking resources away from citizens in need.
He then claimed to be very much in the know of Black culture.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in Black culture … I've spent a lot of time in places like Africa, because I have homeless shelters for abandoned kids and rescuing kids out of the street,” Hovde said. “And I've been involved in schooling, charter schools, and things of that nature.”
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While revealing that he was still learning about the history of slavery in Wisconsin and that he was celebrating Juneteenth as a holiday for the first time this year, Hovde pledged he would return for future celebrations.
“Because I like party. I like dancing. I like food.”