AIPAC ramps up attack on Jamaal Bowman with ads on antisemitism

A top pro-Israel group is escalating its campaign against Rep. Jamaal Bowman, airing new ads that all but accuse the New York progressive of being antisemitic.

It’s the most pointed attack yet by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Bowman’s record on Israel, and it’s delivered by the son of the famed Holocaust survivor and human rights activist Elie Wiesel.

“My father taught me that antisemitism begins with lies and conspiracy theories, and it ends with violence that consumes any society that tolerates it,” Elisha Wiesel says in a 30-second online ad. “Will you make your voice heard? Will you confront Jamaal Bowman’s lies and conspiracy theories, or will you sit by silently?”

The ad — and a longer, 60-second version — are run by AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project. Asked whether the group was accusing Bowman of being antisemitic, UDP spokesperson Patrick Dorton didn’t address the accusation directly but slammed Bowman’s “atrocious” record on Israel and said “we are going to keep shining a spotlight on Bowman’s anti-Israel record for every single Democratic voter in the district.”

Both versions of the ad tick through parts of Bowman’s legislative record, including his vote against a resolution standing with Israel and condemning the Hamas attack. The 60-second version of the ad also features Wiesel asking, “Who are the antisemites engaged in falsely accusing Israel of genocide? Who stands up to oppose them? And who stands by silently? We know where Jamaal Bowman stands.”

Dorton did not say whether the ad would air on broadcast or cable television to reach more voters, but it could be easily adapted to do so. AIPAC has already poured more than $8 million into TV ads to oust Bowman, according to ad-tracking firm AdImpact.

Bowman is one of the most vulnerable progressive incumbents this cycle, facing a tough primary challenge at the end of June from Westchester County Executive George Latimer. Bowman has been an outspoken critic of the Israeli government amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Bowman’s campaign declined to comment directly and referred to a statement from Sophie Ellman-Golan, the communications director at Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, praising Bowman as a “leader for decades in fighting antisemitism and all forms of hate, as a principal and in Congress. Democratic voters won't let these ugly smear attacks from Republican-funded AIPAC divide us.”

AIPAC has often avoided talking about Israel directly in its efforts this cycle, preferring instead to emphasize whatever issues it sees as most effective in boosting pro-Israel candidates or blocking their opponents. But the conflict in Gaza has been a major flashpoint in Bowman’s race for New York’s 16th District. Latimer had entered the race in part because of Bowman’s criticism of Israel, and Bowman had courted personal controversy that could leave him vulnerable, too.

In the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack, AIPAC’s super PAC had targeted progressive members of Congress with digital ads criticizing them for refusing to “stand with Israel” by not voting to condemn Hamas. And last week, it ran one knocking Bowman for previously calling reports of sexual assaults committed by the Oct. 7 attackers in Israel “propaganda” — a stance he’s since walked back. It had also aired TV ads recently boosting Latimer as an alternative to Bowman who would work more closely with President Joe Biden.

AIPAC has vowed to support challengers to several prominent progressive lawmakers who have been strident critics of Israel, like Bowman and progressive Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), though the group hasn’t mentioned Israel in most of its ads against congressional candidates. It spent more than $4 million in a primary in a deep-blue seat in Maryland boosting Democratic state Sen. Sarah Elfreth over other candidates in a largely positive campaign, for example.