Jewish Democratic group backs primary challengers of ‘Squad’ Reps. Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush

A leading progressive, pro-Israel lobbying group announced Thursday it is backing Democratic candidates challenging “Squad” Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush after the pair opposed the Jewish state’s response to the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack.

The Jewish Democratic Council of America endorsed Westchester County Executive George Latimer to unseat Bowman in New York’s 16th Congressional District and St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell to take out Bush in Missouri’s First Congressional District.

“We understand that Wesley Bell and George Latimer are supporting the priorities that Jewish Americans are prioritizing when they go to the polls,” JDCA communications director Sam Crystal told Jewish Insider, which first reported on the endorsements.

“We know that they are fighting for abortion rights and for defending our democracy, and for safer communities and combating gun violence, and health care for all, and in support of Israel and combating antisemitism.”

On Tuesday, a video resurfaced of Bowman, 47, calling Israel an “apartheid” state and claiming that widely reported atrocities committed by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack — including the rapes of Jewish women and the murder of Jewish infants — were a “lie.”

The Bronx and Westchester Democrat accused Israel of spreading “propaganda” during a Nov. 17 rally in White Plains — only to walk back those comments when the video recirculated this month.

“As I said at this rally, what Hamas did on Oct. 7 is a war crime and they must release all the hostages,” he said in a statement. “The UN confirmed that Hamas committed rape and sexual violence, a reprehensible fact that I condemn entirely.”

Last month, Bowman and Bush voted in favor of a House resolution condemning the rape and sexual violence Hamas leaders ordered terrorists to carry out against music festivalgoers and other civilians in Israel.

But Bush, also 47, was one of just two House members — alongside anti-Israel Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) — who voted against a bill the same month that bans the jihadists involved in the attack from entering the US.

Bush and Bowman also voted against a resolution weeks after the Hamas attack that affirmed the House was “standing with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists.”

Bush is lagging behind Bell in public polls ahead of the Aug. 6 primary, as she also faces a Justice Department probe for allegedly making improper payments of federal and campaign funds to cover her personal security.

During her first year in office, Bush paid $60,000 to Cortney Merritts, who did not possess a private security license and whom she later married. He was still receiving $5,000 per month for his services as of December.

Bell has nearly double the cash on hand of Bush and was beating her by 22 percentage points, according to a February poll conducted by the GOP firm Remington Research.

Bowman pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and paid a $1,000 fine last year in Washington, DC, for pulling a fire alarm in a House office building as Democrats were trying to delay a Sept. 30 vote to avert a government shutdown.

Latimer has attacked Bowman during their primary fight for raking in donations outside of his district, blogging about 9/11 conspiracy theories before running for office and praising the antisemite Louis Farrakhan. Democrats in the deep-blue 16th District will pick their nominee June 25.

The Jewish Dems did not endorse challengers to other anti-Israel incumbents like Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.), who will face Bhavini Patel in the Keystone State’s April 23 primary.

JDCA also endorsed 20 other Senate and House Democratic candidates for the 2024 election, including Rep. Adam Schiff of California in his bid for the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s seat and former Westchester Rep. Mondaire Jones to unseat Republican House member Mike Lawler.

The group will not spend any money on the primary fights, but $1.5 million has been pledged for the November elections.