‘Trump-like’ Democrat Bowman faces backlash after defeat as Boebert bucks carpetbagger claims to win in Colorado

Democratic Squad member Jamaal Bowman is facing backlash after losing a New York primary amid MAGA firebrand Lauren Boebert’s victory in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.

Bowman has been described as “Democratic Trump” after losing a House primary to Westchester County Executive George Latimer on Tuesday, who won more than 60 percent of the vote.

The race, which was the most expensive House primary in history, was marred by accusations of race-baiting after Latimer’s campaign criticized Bowman for being out of touch with his largely white constituency over his support for Gaza.

But Bowman has also been accused of baring a resemblance to Trump with his behavior on the campaign trail, using vulgar language and promoting bogus conspiracy theories.

Meanwhile, GOP Rep Lauren Boebert has won the Republican nomination for Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.

The controversial congresswoman easily secured a win in the state on Tuesday, despite switching to a new congressional district, a scandal-ridden campaign, and accusations of carpet-bagging.

Key Points

• Boebert’s Republican successor in district she fled wants to move on from ‘loud, aggressive, in your face’ politics

• ‘I don’t know who my dad is’: Inside Lauren Boebert’s teary victory party

• Where does Lauren Boebert actually stand on the issues?

• Pro-gun Republican who had shouting match with Jamaal Bowman gloats over Democrat’s defeat

• Lauren Boebert has easily won her primary race in Colorado. What now?

‘The cattle come first’: Ranch emergency pulls Boebert’s rival off the campaign trail on primary eve

Tuesday 25 June 2024 13:25 , Joe Sommerlad

Here’s John Bowden’s latest dispatch from Colorado, where GOP candidate Richard Holtorf was forced to head home to tackle a crisis sparked by dry wells on his farmland on the eve of the vote.

‘The cattle come first’: Ranch emergency pulls Lauren Boebert’s rival off the trail

Boebert’s likely successor is even more MAGA and extreme than the original

Tuesday 25 June 2024 13:55 , Joe Sommerlad

The Donald Trump cheerleader made a leap from Colorado’s 3rd to its 4th congressional district but the man looking to replace her in her old seat, Ron Hanks, is arguably even more conservative than the Beetlejuice-ejectee.

Here’s Sheila Flynn’s profile of Hanks.

Lauren Boebert 2.0 is even more MAGA and extreme than the original

Where does Boebert actually stand on the issues?

Tuesday 25 June 2024 14:25 , Joe Sommerlad

John Bowden has this look at where the outspoke Republican stands on the key policy issues, from gun control, immigration and abortion to water usage, an important local concern, as Holtorf’s recent emergency indicates.

Where does Lauren Boebert actually stand on the issues?

Boebert ran her gun themed restaurant for years. The new district she hopes to win has a ‘Shooters’ too

Tuesday 25 June 2024 14:55 , Joe Sommerlad

The MAGA zealot shot to fame with her gun-themed restaurant Shooters Grill, where waitresses served customers flouting loaded firearms in hip holsters – and tourists increasingly flocked as the MAGA Republican’s profile rose.

That Shooters, in the appropriately named town of Rifle, shut down two years ago, just as Boebert has begun closing the chapter on the constituency where it’s located and where she’s the incumbent.

Rather than seeking re-election in the 3rd congressional district, Boebert abandoned ship to run in a new constituency eastward – and as luck would have it, there’s another Shooters there.

Here’s more from Sheila Flynn.

Lauren Boebert closed her gun themed restaurant but the new district has a ‘Shooters’

'This is the week that will determine the 2024 election’

Tuesday 25 June 2024 15:55 , Joe Sommerlad

Eric Garcia has this on why today’s two primaries, coinciding with Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s first presidential debate of the year on Thursday, make this a pivotal week for the United States.

This is the week that will determine the 2024 election

Where does Lauren Boebert actually stand on the issues?

Tuesday 25 June 2024 16:30 , John Bowden

Lauren Boebert’s run for Congress in 2024 is unlike any race she’s run before.

The two-term congresswoman is now being derided by her critics as a carpetbagger, having left the purpleish 3rd district of Colorado for the relatively safer-Republican seat in the 4th district. It’s a clearly political move aimed at protecting her career — though one she and her allies, who include Donald Trump and Mike Johnson, are spinning as being done for the good of the Republican Party.

Her departure from the 3rd district means that the staunchly conservative Boebert will face GOP primary voters on Tuesday in a district where she will be much more popular, or at least tolerated, by the general voting base which has far fewer Democrats than her old district, which included larger urban centers such as Aspen. Even so, she’s facing criticism from opponents in her new primary over votes on issues such as water saving as well as support for Israel.

So where does Boebert stand on the issues as she seeks her first term representing the eastern plains?

Where does Lauren Boebert actually stand on the issues?

Boebert shares rancher ad slamming ‘radical environmentalists'

Tuesday 25 June 2024 17:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Boebert on the issues: Gun control

Tuesday 25 June 2024 17:30 , John Bowden

Boebert is a Second Amendment absolutist. Where other Republicans in her party have sought to work with Democrats to pass laws banning domestic abusers from owning guns or allowing authorities to restrict the possession of firearms for those flagged to police as a danger to themselves or others, the congresswoman has fought every step of the way against any restriction to gun ownership in the US.

She has opposed red flag laws, background check law expansions, and attacked members of Congress for hiring their own security while supporting such measures.

‘The cattle come first’: Ranch emergency pulls Lauren Boebert’s rival off the campaign trail on primary eve

Tuesday 25 June 2024 18:00 , John Bowden

Sometimes, it’s difficult to balance a run for office with one’s personal life.

For Richard Holtorf, it meant a last-minute departure from the campaign trail — right on the eve of congressional primaries across the state of Colorado.

On the eastern plains of the Centennial State, a very unique political battle is playing out. Rep Lauren Boebert, the headline-generating second-term congresswoman and conservative culture warrior is up for “re-election” — just not for her own seat. She’s competing in a crowded Republican primary for the seat currently held by Ken Buck, a retiring member of the House Freedom Caucus. The seat is a comfortably conservative district, a change of pace from Boebert’s current district, the third, which is across the state in Colorado’s mountains and includes the ski town of Aspen.

It’s that image of a conservative bulwark that clearly attracted Boebert to the 4th district, rather than seek re-election in the 3rd.

READ MORE:

‘The cattle come first’: Ranch emergency pulls Lauren Boebert’s rival off the trail

‘Mama bear blood’: Voters in Boebert’s old district share why they’re fans of infamous rep

Tuesday 25 June 2024 18:15 , Sheila Flynn in Grand Junction

Outside of Grand Junction’s popular breakfast spot Sunrise Restaurant on Tuesday, Republican voter Mark Undem had his ballots in the saddlebags of his motorcycle, ready to drop them off after the meal.

He and his friends, Doug Murphy and Duane Jessee, had all been impressed with Boebert.

“She’s got a lot of mama bear blood,” Jessee tells The Independent.

Undem, wearing a Second Amendment shirt, interestingly does not mention Boebert’s gun rights platform.

“She’s a Christian,” he says. “She doesn’t mind speaking her mind.”

“She seems to have no fear, and I respect that. And she’s up against it; she’s in a liberal state. [More] power to her.”

“She knows the Lord,” his friend adds. “Anybody that loves my Lord is going to do the best they can. They might make mistakes, but then they can do their best.”

Boebert on the issues: Border security/immigration

Tuesday 25 June 2024 18:30 , John Bowden

Another position where Boebert has found herself aligned with many conservatives is immigration — she voted for the impeachment of Joe Biden’s Homeland Security director earlier this year, and has also argued in favor of impeaching Biden himself over the same issue, a supposed failure to enforce US immigration laws.

She, like Donald Trump, also favors a sharp increase in deportations. One piece of legislation she sponsored in March (which, like most of her bills, did not become law) was called the “Build the Wall and Deport Them All Act.”

Boebert also was one of many Republicans who came out against a compromise framework hammered out by Democrats and her own GOP colleagues in the Senate this year.

Lauren Boebert was dodging foam pool noodles in one of her final campaign appearances

Tuesday 25 June 2024 19:00 , Sheila Flynn

Lauren Boebert danced in red stilettos down a gauntlet of Republicans wielding foam pool noodles in a faux “American Gladiator” event during one of the more surreal moments of a final campaign appearance Thursday – before voters in a district she’s just moved to decide whether they want her representing them in Congress.

Her opponent in Colorado’s 4th congressional district, Richard Holtorf, pawed the ground with his foot before revving up to run the same gauntlet at full speed – presumably in a nod to the livestock his family has reared for three generations. He’d ditched his trademark cowboy hat for a “Freedom” baseball cap.

The two congressional hopefuls participated in the good-natured pool noodle run during the candidate forum of Douglas County Republicans’ Freedom Fellowship – a “Christian, conservative group,” attendees were told during a starting address. “All are welcome here, but in this group we try to advance Christian, conservative principles here in Douglas County.”

READ MORE:

Lauren Boebert was dodging foam pool noodles in one of her final campaign appearances

Boebert on the issues: Abortion/reproductive rights

Tuesday 25 June 2024 19:30 , John Bowden

The congresswoman says on her website that she believes life begins at conception, an unsurprising take for a conservative.

But Boebert does not specify whether she would support an abortion ban at the national level; she describes herself as a supporter of the Tenth Amendment, which remands powers to the states not explicitly granted to Congress, and says that she supports states making their own decisions on abortion rights. Her campaign has not specified whether she would back restrictions on contraception or in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Voter says he likes Boebert because she’s ‘loud and aggressive, like Trump'

Tuesday 25 June 2024 19:50 , Sheila Flynn in Silt, Colorado

Garfield County Republican Doug Wight voted for Lauren Boebert in the past and would have voted for her again, had she remained in his district of CD3, he tells The Independent.

He has installed Trump banners, flags, and a sign telling Democrats “YOU SUCK!!!” outside his small business, Gold Ring Pawn, in Silt – the town where the congresswoman and her ex-husband raised their sons and where police were called to a public spat between them earlier this year.

“I like the fact that she is similar to and supportive of Donald Trump,” says Wight, 70. “She’s loud and aggressive, like Trump, like Marjorie Taylor Greene.

“Whether that’s effective in Washington DC, I don’t know. But she’s just not cut from the same political cloth as most arrogant, ignorant politicians are.

“Life in the big city, where you’re controlled and manipulated … is way different than living in the country, where we don’t like to be told what to do. So she definitely signifies or lives that lifestyle, as opposed to big city life.”

He particularly supported her vocal dedication to upholding gun rights, the issue that’s “probably my number one reason for voting, period.”

“She just supports it,” he says of the Second Amendment. “She’s not going to compromise.”

Echoing the oft-expressed fear throughout much of the district that “they’re going to take your guns away eventually,” he says: “She does not compromise on that principle.”

Boebert on the issues: Water usage

Tuesday 25 June 2024 20:20 , John Bowden

An issue of real importance to many in the western US, where freshwater access is a growing concern in the face of a changing climate and more unpredictable weather patterns, Boebert has found herself the target of repeated criticism from one of her rivals — as well as the White House — on this issue.

The Colorado congresswoman voted against infrastructure funding that included more than $20m for water retention projects around her state, yet still found the time to take credit for them after the bill passed without her support.

“I didn’t agree to the swampy way it came to the floor but I fought to get the stuff in the bills and it’s there,” she told The Independent in March. “And Colorado is going to benefit from it.”

Why Lauren Boebert will probably win her primary — and Jamaal Bowman will probably lose his

Tuesday 25 June 2024 20:50 , Eric Garcia

On the surface, Lauren Boebert and Jamaal Bowman could not be more different members of Congress. One is a white ultra-MAGA devotee of Donald Trump and a high school dropout who earned notoriety thanks to running a restaurant where the waitresses all carried firearms. The other is a Black former middle school principal who represents the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. While Bowman seems to care deeply about moving the Democratic Party’s policy significantly to the left, Boebert’s tenure in Congress seems devoid of any real substance, absent being Trump’s fan — although it’s clear she’d be happy to see her own party move even further to the right.

But they came to Washington in similar manners. Boebert beat a placeholder incumbent congressman in Colorado’s third district in 2020 and Bowman pulled off a stunner when he beat the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

READ MORE:

Why Lauren Boebert will probably win her primary — and Jamaal Bowman lose his

Boebert on the issues: Climate change

Tuesday 25 June 2024 21:20 , John Bowden

Boebert, like every single GOP candidate in the 4th congressional district, rejects the scientific consensus on man-made emissions as the primary driver of rising global temperatures.

The candidates were asked about the issue at a debate in late May.

“Climate change occurs four times every year. It’s absolutely real,” Boebert said, referring to the concept of seasons. She then hedged slightly: “There’s many things we can do to manage our environment.”

Boebert on the issues: LGBTQ rights

Tuesday 25 June 2024 21:50 , John Bowden

Boebert is a staunch opponent of transgender rights and frequently attacks the greater LGBTQ community. In at least one instance, she has accused them of seeking “supremacy” in the United States.

Her comments on drag bars after the deadly shooting at Club Q in her home state in 2022 were immediately blamed by LGBTQ groups for inciting such violence, which she denied. In some cases, she has spread false accusations about drag queens supposedly grooming children with sexual intentions.

Watch: Lauren Boebert confronted over Beetlejuice incident during debate

Tuesday 25 June 2024 22:20 , Mike Bedigan

What time do polls close in Colorado?

Tuesday 25 June 2024 22:31 , Mike Bedigan

Polls in the Colorado primaries, both Democratic and Republican, are set to close at 7pm local time (MDT).

State governor Jared Polis previously urged voters to turn out, writing in a statement: “Voting is the bedrock of democracy.

“No matter who you are voting for it is important to make your voice heard, and I encourage all Coloradans, no matter their party affiliation, to return their ballot at an official Dropbox or vote at their polling place.

“Colorado has the best election system in the country and Coloradans can be confident knowing our vote counts.”

Boebert’s many scandals and controversies

Tuesday 25 June 2024 22:50 , Mike Bedigan

Here’s an overview of the Republican’s numerous less-than-flattering encounters with the national spotlight.

Lauren Boebert’s many scandals and controversies

Fewer ballots cast than expected in congresswoman's race, campaign says

Tuesday 25 June 2024 23:00 , Mike Bedigan

Lauren Boebert's campaign manager exclusively told The Independent on Tuesday as primary voting entered its final hours that fewer ballots were cast than expected but that they were making a final push for the Trump-aligned congresswoman.

“Hard to know exactly how things look turnout wise since so many ballots are being processed and we don’t have an exact breakdown of if they are GOP or DEM ballots but it appears as though we’ll be less than 125K ballots which is a little less than we expected,” Drew Sexton said.

“Unaffiliated percent is in line with our expectations. We’ve got volunteers still making a final push of GOTV calls to get their ballots in before 7pm.

“We’ll see how results unfold tonight but no matter the final tally, we’re proud of our effort and grateful for so many voters who have offered their prayers and support for the Congresswoman.”

Democrats predict Colorado flip to ‘total blue'

Tuesday 25 June 2024 23:20 , Mike Bedigan

A Democratic operative in the district told The Indpendent that the GOP chaos ahead of Tuesday’s primary was “the first opportunity to flip Colorado totally blue”.

“I think that’s the that’s the reality. I mean, [Lauren Boebert] is deeply unpopular, even in this district, and the Republican Party’s kind of in national civil war,” they said. “They’re bashing each other.”

They continued: "I think that there are a certain crowd who feel like it might be easier to defeat an incumbent Democrat who's been in one term than it would be the primary Lauren Boebert out of the seat.

“So they may make that calculation. I mean, there's a large faction calling for the Republican state chair to step down because they know that extremism is turning voters off."

Lauren Boebert rival teases her with ad filmed in theater she was thrown out of during Beetlejuice

Tuesday 25 June 2024 23:50 , Mike Bedigan

Colorado Republican Rep Lauren Boebert’s Democratic rival posted a hilarious new ad speaking from the lawmaker’s seat during her scandalous Beetlejuice outing last fall.

Democratic Congressional hopeful John Padora sat in a maroon movie theater chair, saying in his new ad: “I’m sitting in the very same seat Lauren Boebert got kicked out of. The same way she got kicked out of Colorado’s 3rd Congressional district.”

Read more from Kelly Rissman here:

Lauren Boebert rival releases ad filmed in Beetlejuice theater she was kicked out of

What time do polls close in Colorado?

Wednesday 26 June 2024 00:20 , Mike Bedigan

Polls in the Colorado primaries, both Democratic and Republican, are set to close at 7pm local time (MDT).

State governor Jared Polis previously urged voters to turn out, writing in a statement: “Voting is the bedrock of democracy.

“No matter who you are voting for it is important to make your voice heard, and I encourage all Coloradans, no matter their party affiliation, to return their ballot at an official Dropbox or vote at their polling place.

“Colorado has the best election system in the country and Coloradans can be confident knowing our vote counts.”

Lauren Boebert ran her gun themed restaurant for years. The new district she hopes to win has a ‘Shooters’ too

Wednesday 26 June 2024 00:50 , Mike Bedigan

A gun-themed restaurant helped Republican firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert to fame. At the unrelated Shooters in the new district she hopes to win – where she’s running as a carpetbagger – there hasn’t been the same level of Boebert talk or tourism ... yet.

Sheila Flynn reports from Byers in the 4th congressional district. Read more here:

Lauren Boebert closed her gun themed restaurant but the new district has a ‘Shooters’

McCorkle ‘feeling good’ about Democratic primary win

01:05 , Mike Bedigan

Ahead of polls closing in the Colorado Democratic primary, Ike McCorkle told The Independent : “I’m feeling good, I had a good opportunity to go out and talk to consituencies that the Democratic Party hasn’t necessarily been talking to in recent years.”

Asked about his feelings about another win in November, he replied: “Same answer.”

“I’m not going to Washington to serve any party. I’m going to serve the voters of my district, and the Constitution,” he said.

McCorkle described Joe Biden as “the most successful president in modern history,” adding: “I think he’s done well, especially given unprecedented circumstances.”

Watch: Frisch challenges Boebert in tight Colorado race

01:20 , Mike Bedigan

The Republican attorney trying to beat a trigger-happy election denier for Lauren Boebert’s old seat

01:50 , Mike Bedigan

Colorado’s 3rd congressional district has been launched to national prominence thanks to its sitting representative, Lauren Boebert — and attorney Jeff Hurd is hoping Republican voters are no longer looking for MAGA firebrand.

Read the full story here:

The Republican attorney trying to beat an election denier for Boebert’s old seat

Democratic and Republican campaigns staying in same hotel ‘being respectful’

02:05 , Mike Bedigan

A manager of the Ascent hotel, which is hosting the campaigns of Democrat Ike McCorkle and Republican Deborah Flora, said there was a pleasant lack of animosity between the two sides, and no “partisan bickering.”

Speaking to The Independent, Eda DiPasquale said: "This is great. This is what it's supposed to look like. We have both the Republicans and Democrats here.

“Everyone's being respectful."

McCorkle’s campaign is occupying the first floor of the hotel, while Flora’s is on the second.

Polls closed in Colorado primaries

02:05 , Mike Bedigan

Polls have now closed in the Colorado primaries, including the Republican race which sees Lauren Boebert fighting to claim the GOP nomination.

Her main rival in the race, Deborah Flora, seemed confident that the primary was a “two woman race completely” despite previous polls putting Boebert substantially in the lead.

State law in Colorado automatically triggers a recount if the margin of victory is less than 0.5 percent of the total vote.

Breaking: Lauren Boebert wins Colorado’s GOP primary

02:31 , Mike Bedigan

Controversial congresswoman Lauren Boebert has won the Republican nomination for US House in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.

The Associated Press called the race at 7:22pm local time (MDT).

Boebert rival: ‘The vast majority of people in this district do not want her to be the nominee'

02:50 , Mike Bedigan

Boebert’s main rival in Tuesday’s Colorado GOP primary said that the “vast majority” of people in the district did not want the controversial congresswoman to be their nominee.

Speaking to The Independent, Deborah Flora said: “I think the reality is, Lauren Boebert will always have a floor and a ceiling.

“There will always be a certain amount of people that will just vote for whoever Donald Trump endorses. Now, president Donald Trump, we all expected him to endorse Laura, and he's loyal. He endorsed her before, it was no surprise.

“So I think she'll always have a floor because of that, but I think she has a very hard ceiling. And I think the vast majority of people in this district do not want her to be the nominee.”

She added: “I think everybody knows that this is a two woman race completely. I would have no problem winning this evening.”

In pictures: Lauren Boebert’s wins GOP Colorado primary

03:06 , Mike Bedigan

Trump endorses Boebert on Truth Social following her Colorado primary win

03:30 , Mike Bedigan

Boebert echoes Trump on November election

03:50 , Mike Bedigan

Lauren Boebert echoed rhetoric of former president Donald Trump following her win in Colorado on Tueday, describing November’s election as “the most important election of our lifetime.”

“November 5 is coming up and we need to put President Trump back in the White House,” she told reporters. “We need to take the Senate and we need to keep the house. America deepends on it.”

She continued: “This is the most important election of our lifetime every two years... We've got to get this right and I want to fight alongside of the good people of Colorado’s 4th district, our entire state and our nation to ensure that we take this great country back.”

Boebert beats homegrown primary candidates despite district change

04:20 , Mike Bedigan

Lauren Boebert beat a group of more traditional, homegrown primary candidates who had far less name recognition and generally less combative political styles to claim victory in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District on Tuesday.

They were: former state Senator Jerry Sonnenberg; current state Representatives Mike Lynch and Richard Holtorf; and parental rights advocate Deborah Flora.

Boebert is expected to also win the November general election in the district, which sweeps across a wide expanse of ranches, ghost towns and conservative parts of the Denver metro area that make up much of the plains of eastern Colorado.

Its voters overwhelmingly backed former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election.

The controversial congresswoman said she switched districts to ensure another Republican could win her seat, which she nearly lost in 2022, and she blamed outside groups for targeting her.

But she had already become a fundraising magnet for that other district's likely Democratic candidate, who has pulled in millions that may help him flip a seat that has leaned Republican in recent years.

Here’s what Boebert voters say about the Congresswoman

04:50 , Mike Bedigan

In Colorado, not everyone loves Lauren Boebert — but the people who do really do.

Read more here:

What Boebert voters say about the Congresswoman

Lauren Boebert ran her gun themed restaurant for years. The new district she hopes to win has a ‘Shooters’ too

05:20 , Mike Bedigan

A gun-themed restaurant helped Republican firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert to fame. At the unrelated Shooters in the new district she hopes to win – where she’s running as a carpetbagger – there hasn’t been the same level of Boebert talk or tourism ... yet.

Sheila Flynn reports from Byers in the 4th congressional district. Read more here:

Lauren Boebert closed her gun themed restaurant but the new district has a ‘Shooters’

Watch: Lauren Boebert calls Equality Act 'supremacy of Gays'

05:50 , Mike Bedigan

Ron Hanks: 'This party has basically made itself irredeemable’

06:27 , Sheila Flynn

Ron Hanks, acknowledging Boebert’s victory on the other side of Colorado in CD4, labeled her “probably the least deserving of all the pro-MAGA candidates.”

“I’m worried about another theater incident or something in the near future that tanks her, and they’re going to put in an establishment person,” he said, referring to Boebert’s ejection for misbehavior in September from a Denver musical performance.

Hanks, who has complained about GOP-affiliated PACs funding ads against him, dug further into his deeply split party while digesting news of the loss.

“This party has basically made itself irredeemable,” he told The Independent. “This party should fall. This party should collapse.

In pictures: Lauren Boebert celebrates primary victory in Colorado

06:30 , Mike Bedigan

Boebert ‘more focused on Celebrity than solutions’ says rival

07:30 , Mike Bedigan

Colorado GOP candidate Deborah Flora, said that she had heard from voters who believed that her rival Lauren Boebert was “more focused on Celebrity than solutions” ahead of the Tuesday’s state primary election results.

“Then you have these last year of headlines, and the fact that she moved from the western side of this state – 600 miles – to the eastern United States does not sit well with many people.

“Because in representative government no one is so important that voters wouldn't want them to run where they authentically have deep roots. And so I think that's what's important.”

However, it would seem voters ultimately diagreed, with The Associated Press calling the race in favour of Boebert less than 30 minutes after polls in Colorado closed.

Trump endorses Boebert on Truth Social following her Colorado primary win

09:00 , Mike Bedigan

Squad member Jamaal Bowman described as ‘Democratic Trump’ after losing New York primary

09:41 , Martha Mchardy

Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman has been described as a “Democratoc Trump” after he lost a New York primary on Tuesday.

“Both men have a history of bigotry, bullying, law breaking, promoting bogus conspiracy theories, engaging in obscene public rants and playing the martyr,” Dana Milbank wrote in a Washington Post op-ed.

“But here’s the key difference: While Trump’s bigotry has become the standard fare in the MAGA GOP, Bowman’s fellow Democrats had no patience for his, well, bullsh--.”

Milbank added that though the two men “have little in common ideologically,” they have shown similar behavior at rallies, using vulgar language and promoting conspiracy theories.

Before coming to Congress, Bowman promoted the conspiracy theory that the 9/11 attacks were an inside job, Milbank pointed out. Bowman also called reports of Hamas attackers raping Israeli women on Oct. 7 a “lie” and “propaganda,” Milbank said.

He has also claimed that Jews have “segregated” themselves in New York City, which drew criticism from fellow Democrats, including Rep. Ritchie Torres.

Bowman — a member of “The Squad,” a coterie of progressive Democrats in the House of Representatives — has become unpopular among pro-Israel Democrats because of his support for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas amid a war that has killed more than 35,000 people in Gaza.

As a result, his primary challenger, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, received an unprecedented onslaught of money from pro-Israel groups in the most expensive House primary in history, leading to Bowman’s defeat.

The race became intensely personal, with Latimer accusing Bowman of “representing” Dearborn, Michigan, a city with a large Arab-American population, and San Francisco.

Bowman and other members of the Squad, including Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, hit back, accusing the Latimer campaign of engaging in race-baiting. Conversely, Latimer accused Bowman of only focusing on Black and Brown communities at the expense of his district, which is heavily white and ignoring Asian American voters.

Rashida Tlaib posts emotional tribute to Jamaal Bowman after primary loss

10:12 , Martha Mchardy

Squad member Rashida Tlaib has posted an emotional tribute to Jamaal Bowman after he was defeated in A New York primary on Tuesday.

Bowman — a member of “The Squad,” a coterie of progressive Democrats in the House of Representatives — lost a House primary to Westchester County Executive George Latimer on Tuesday, who won more than 60 per cent of the vote.

It came after Bowman was widely criticized by other Democrats for his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, accusing Israel of “apartheid” and “genocide”.

As a result, Latimer received an unprecedented onslaught of money from pro-Israel groups in the most expensive House primary in history, with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s super PAC, United Democracy Project, pouring $14 million into Latimer’s campaign.

However, some Democrats, including Palestinian congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, have come out in support of Bowman following his defeat.

“You didn’t hesitate to stand up and say: ceasefire now, stop funding genocide, and end apartheid,” she wrote of Bowman in a post on Instagram.“You stood next to me when I was censured and pushed back against the racist attacks on me and those who demanded we save lives no matter faith and ethnicity. You inspired me when I needed it most.“Thank you for believing that Palestinians deserve to live, Jamaal. Thank you for not being afraid of saying Palestinians. Thank you for not bowing down to those who believe killing thousands of Palestinian children is acceptable.”

Tlaib was previously censured over comments she made on the Israel-Gaza war.

The resolution formally condemned her for “calling for the destruction of the state of Israel”.

The measure passed by 234 to 188 votes. Twenty-two Democrats voted to censure.

Jamaal Bowman 'deserves to lose,' says New York Times columnist

10:45 , Martha Mchardy

A New York Times columnist said Democratic squad member Jamaal Bowman ‘deserves to lose” amid controversy over his views on the Israel-Hamas war.

Columnist Pamela Paul wrote that Bowman’s re-election would have lead the Democratic Party in a losing direction.

“Bowman has proved himself out of sync with his district, and his re-election would take the Democratic Party in a losing direction,” Paul said.

“Equally important, based on his record, Jamaal Bowman does not deserve re-election.”

Bowman lost a House primary to Westchester County Executive George Latimer on Tuesday, who won more than 60 per cent of the vote.

It came after Bowman was widely criticized by other Democrats for his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, accusing Israel of “apartheid” and “genocide” and supporting a ceasefire in the conflict that has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians.

Meanwhile, Bowman was also criticized for holding a rally in the South Bronx, a region he does not represent, where he used profanity publicly.

Boebert: ‘The people have spoken'

11:00 , Mike Bedigan

Addressing supporters in Colorado following her win, Boebert, dressed in Donald Trump merchandise, declared that “the people have spoken”.

“I’m proud to be alongside you in this fight, representing you as your next congresswoman,” she said.

“The left-wing media are going to have all sorts of things to say... [But] the people have spoken, they do not want the uniparty representing them.”

Boebert’s Republican successor in district she fled wants to move on from ‘loud, aggressive, in your face’ politics

11:14 , Martha Mchardy

Grand Junction attorney and father of five Jeff Hurd sailed to Republican primary victory on Tuesday in the Colorado district that’s been front and center for years thanks to the antics of its incumbent, Rep. Lauren Boebert.

Hurd, 44, told The Independent in the hours before polls closed in the state’s third congressional district that “most rural Coloradans were ready to move on” from the “kind of politics that’s really loud and in your face and aggressive.”

He posted Tuesday night on social media – after a campaign that refrained from mudslinging – “A gigantic thank you to you, CO-03, for your vote today. On to the general election in November, where a brighter future for Colorado families will be on the ballet.”

Sheila Flynn reports from Colorado:

Boebert successor wants to move on from ‘loud, aggressive’ politics

Boebert’s Republican successor labels her ‘the least deserving of all the pro-MAGA candidates’ after her primary win

11:39 , Martha Mchardy and Sheila Flynn

Trump supporter Ron Hanks, who lost the primary election in Lauren Boebert’s former district, has slammed the MAGA firebrand congresswoman as “undeserving.”

Boebert is “the least deserving of all the pro-MAGA candidates,” Hanks said after she won the Republican nomination for US House in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District - despite never having lived there.

“I’m worried about another theater incident or something in the near future that tanks her, and they’re going to put in an establishment person,” he said, referring to Boebert’s ejection for misbehavior in September from a Denver musical performance.

Hanks, who has complained about GOP-affiliated PACs funding ads against him, dug further into his deeply split party while digesting news of the loss.

“This party has basically made itself irredeemable,” he told The Independent. “This party should fall. This party should collapse.”

Hanks lost in CD3 to Grand Junction attorney and father of five Jeff Hurd, who sailed to Republican primary victory on Tuesday with 42 percent of the vote.

Boebert previously represented safe Republican seat CD3 since 2021 before switching last year after she failed to win over voters and defeated Democratic challenger Adam Frisch by only a narrow margin in the last election.

She then switched to running in an even safer seat in Colorado’s fourth district for the 2024 election, avoiding a likely rematch with Frisch.

ICYMI: Lauren Boebert has won her primary. What now?

12:00 , Mike Bedigan

Lauren Boebert has won the Republican nomination for the House of Representatives in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.

The win marks just the latest high-octane interlude in a political career that has been turbulent from the outset — to say the least.

Read the full story here:

Lauren Boebert has won her primary. What now?

Trump’s endorsement ‘didn’t help’ GOP primary candidates

12:42 , Martha Mchardy

Donald Trump’s endorsement “didn’t help” GOP primary candidates, the Daily Beast reported, after several Trump-backed nominees lost in Utah, South Carolina, and Colorado.

Republican candidates endorsed by Donald Trump were dealt primary defeats in several states on Tuesday night, including Ron Hanks in Colorado, Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs in Utah and Pastor Mark Burns in South Carolina.

The results follow other recent losses for Trump-backed candidates despite his unrivaled influence over the party.

“The endorsement many Republicans dream of doesn’t always prevent an electoral nightmare,” the Daily Beast reported.

In Utah, Trump had given the nod to Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs for the Senate seat being vacated by the retiring Mitt Romney.

However, Staggs lost out to Rep. John Curtis, who has been more openly critical of Trump.

Trump’s choice in the GOP primary runoff in South Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District suffered a similar fate. Pastor Mark Burns, whom Trump calls an “America first fighter,” lost out to Sheri Biggs—a nurse and Air National Guard officer.

Biggs describes herself as a “Pro-Life, Pro-Second Amendment, Pro-Trump Republican” and said in a statement after her victory that she stands ready “to not only win this seat in November but also to help President Trump win back the White House in November.”

Meanwhile, in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District, the state GOP Chairman Dave Williams, who was endorsed by Trump lost to talk radio host and political consultant Jeff Crank by more than 30 points, according to the AP.

In Colorado’s 3rd district, which was previously represented by MAGA firebrand congresswoman Lauren Boebert, Trump supporter Ron Hanks lost to Grand Junction attorney and father of five Jeff Hurd.

It wasn’t a total catastrophe for Trump, though, with several candidates he’d backed winning. Boebert won in Colorado’s 4th district, while Gabe Evans triumphed in Colorado’s hotly contested 8th Congressional District.

Hanks said Boebert was “the least deserving of all the pro-MAGA candidates,”

Boebert vows to carry on fighting for people of Colorado

13:00 , Mike Bedigan

Speaking to reporters following her win, Boebert reiterated that her core values remained the same and she would continue to “fight” for the people of Colorado.

“I have been fighting for all of Colorado my whole life and especially the past few years before running for office. I was fighting for our children, I was fighting to close loopholes in our system that allows illegal aliens to vote in Colorado elections,” she said.

“And, you know, I decided to take this a step further and use my voice to represent millions of Americans not only here in Colorado, but all throughout our country. So my values are absolutely still the same.”

Rep Massie has the last word after Bowman’s defeat

13:03 , Martha Mchardy

Rep. Thomas Massie has reacted after Bowman lost a primary race in New York.

Massie and Bowman got into a shouting match off the House floor last year over potential gun control legislation in the wake of the Covenant School shooting in Nashville.

On Tuesday night, Massie joked upon hearing the news of Bowman’s loss: “I’m going to miss our informal chitchats in the hallways.”

‘Pendulum has swung back’ to moderates, says New York Democrat chief Jay Jacobs after Bowman’s defeat

13:07 , Martha Mchardy

New York Democrat chief Jay Jacobs told The New York Post the “pendulum has swung back’ to moderates after squad member Jamaal Bowman lost a primary race in New York.

“The pendulum has swung back,” Jacobs said. “The Democratic voters made clear that they favor a moderate approach.”

Bowman lost a House primary to Westchester County Executive George Latimer on Tuesday, who won more than 60 per cent of the vote.

It came after Bowman was widely criticized by other Democrats for his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, accusing Israel of “apartheid” and “genocide” and supporting a ceasefire in the conflict that has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians.

Meanwhile, Bowman was also criticized for holding a rally in the South Bronx, a region he does not represent, where he used profanity publicly.

Bernie Sanders founded group praises Bowman’s ‘moral courage’ after primary loss

13:20 , Martha Mchardy

Bernie Sanders founded group, Our Revolution, has praised Jamaal Bowman‘s “moral courage” and blamed the “broken system” of Democratic primaries for his loss.

“Tonight’s outcome puts the glaring hypocrisy of Democratic Party elites on full display,” said executive director Joseph Geevarghese.

“Jamaal Bowman had the moral courage to speak out against his constituents’ taxpayer dollars funding war crimes in Gaza,” Geevarghese went on. “As a result, AIPAC and its MAGA Republican-funded super PAC flooded the airwaves with an unprecedented $14.5 million worth of attack ads against him.

“Rest assured that millions of young, diverse, and progressive voters across the country see these stunning contradictions, and they are disgusted that Party leaders are sitting idly by as special interests unseat a popular and progressive Black [sic] man from Congress.”

Bowman is a member of “the squad,” a coterie of progressive Democrats in the House of Representatives who have supported a ceasefire in Gaza.

Other members of the group include Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Watch: Lauren Boebert poses for photos with supporters after winning her primary

14:15 , Martha Mchardy

Staten Island GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis celebrates Bowman defeat: 'Good riddance'

14:50 , Martha Mchardy

Staten Island GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has celebrated Jamaal Bowman’s defeat in New York.

“Bye Bye Bowman,” she posted on X with a hand-waving emoji.

“From his juvenile fire alarm antics to his vile anti-Semitism to his profanity-laced tirades to his support for open borders & defunding police, Jamaal Bowman has been an embarrassment to his party, his district & our state,” Malliotakis said.

“Good riddance.”

Bowman stirred controversy in 2023 when he pulled a fire alarm during a government funding vote, causing Congress to be evacuated. Though he was censured, no House Ethics investigation ensued. He said he thought the fire alarm was a lever that would open the door he was trying to get through.

He supported a ceasefire in Gaza, where 35,000 Palestinians have been killed, and accused Israel of “genocide.”

Watch: Lauren Boebert wins GOP primary in Colorado

15:20 , Martha Mchardy

Three female GOP state senators who filibustered South Carolina abortion ban lose primaries

15:50 , Martha Mchardy

Three female GOP state senators who filibustered a South Carolina abortion ban lost their primary elections this month.

Katrina Shealy, Sandy Senn and Penry Gustafson were among a bipartisan group of five women state senators, dubbed the “sister senators,” who filibustered a near-total abortion ban in 2023.

As a result of their coordinated effort, the group was chosen last year to receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.

Following their efforts, the three women lost primary elections to male candidates this month, with Shealy losing to Carlisle Kennedy after picking up only 37.5 per cent of the vote.

Kennedy’s campaign website said that he’s “proudly pro-life,” and he said he “will work to protect the unborn and advocate for policies that support mothers and families.”

Senn and Gustafson lost in primaries earlier this month. Both women’s opponents ran on anti-abortion platforms.

Bowman says race for NY-16 was about ‘justice’ and standing against ‘killing of babies in Gaza’

16:43 , Martha Mchardy

Jamaal Bowman told supporters in Yonkers that the primary race for New York’s 16th Congressional District - which he lost - was about “justice” and standing against “killing of babies in Gaza.”

“This movement has always been about justice,” he told the crowd in his concession speech.

“We will not stand for the bombing and killing of babies in Gaza,” the “Squad” member added.

“We will never stand for the killing of children in the Bronx.

“This race was never about me and me alone. It was never about this district and this district alone. It was always about all of us. Now, our opponents may have won this round at this time in this place. But this will be a battle for our humanity and justice for the rest of our lives.”

Bowman is a member of “the squad,” a coterie of progressive Democrats in the House of Representatives who have supported a ceasefire in Gaza.

He was widely criticized by other Democrats for accusing Israel of “apartheid” and “genocide”.

ICYMI: Jamaal Bowman loses most expensive House primary in history amid bitter Democratic fight over Israel and Gaza

17:15 , Martha Mchardy

Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman – a member of the self-styled “Squad” of progressive lawmakers in Congress – lost to a primary challenger who received an unprecedented onslaught of money from pro-Israel groups in the most expensive House primary in history.

Bowman had become unpopular among pro-Israel Democrats because of his support for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas amid a war that has killed more than 35,000 people in Gaza.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s super PAC (AIPAC), United Democracy Project, poured $14m into trying to unseat Bowman as he faced Westchester County Executive George Latimer, considered a Democratic Party moderate.

Early returns showed that Latimer dominated Bowman in Westchester County, winning more than 60 percent of the vote in the heavily white and affluent county, which accounted for the majority of his district. Conversely, Bowman only won 82 per cent of the vote in his base of support in the Bronx, which has a large Black and Latino population, but also comprises only a sliver of the total voting population.

Eric Garcia reports:

Squad member Jamaal Bowman loses win in the most expensive House primary in history

Lauren Boebert has easily won her primary race in Colorado. What now?

17:45 , Martha Mchardy

Lauren Boebert has won the Republican nomination for the House of Representatives in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.

The win marks just the latest high-octane interlude in a political career that has been turbulent from the outset — to say the least.

Boebert, a mother of four sons and new grandmother at the age of 37, followed an unlikely path to Congress and to the Republican Party in general. She was raised by a Democrat mother, often on welfare, and first registered with the party of the left herself before switching to Republican in 2008.

Sheila Flynn and John Bowden report:

Lauren Boebert has easily won her primary race in Colorado. What now?

Watch: Bowman reacts to NY Democratic primary loss

18:15 , Martha Mchardy

Full story: Pro-gun Republican who had shouting match with Jamaal Bowman gloats over Democrat’s defeat

18:45 , Martha Mchardy

Pro-gun Republican congressman Thomas Massie has given a wry reaction after Democrat Jamaal Bowman was defeated in a New York primary by a rival from his own party.

Bowman lost a House primary to Westchester County Executive George Latimer on Tuesday, who won more than 60 per cent of the vote.

It came after Bowman was widely criticized by other Democrats for his stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict, accusing Israel of “apartheid” and “genocide” and supporting a ceasefire in the conflict that has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians.

On Tuesday night, following Bowman’s defeat, Massie joked on X/Twitter: “I’m going to miss our informal chitchats in the hallways,” accompanied by a video of the incident.

Read the full story:

Pro-gun Republican who had shouting match with Jamaal Bowman gloats over his defeat

Where does Lauren Boebert actually stand on the issues?

19:15 , Martha Mchardy

GOP Rep Lauren Boebert has won the Republican nomination for the US House in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.

The controversial congresswoman easily secured a win in the state on Tuesday, despite switching to a new congressional district, a scandal-hit campaign and accusations of carpet-bagging.

As a MAGA firebrand, Boebert has been endorsed by Donald Trump, but has been facing criticism from opponents in her new primary over votes on issues such as water saving as well as support for Israel.

So where does Boebert stand on the issues as she seeks her first term representing the eastern plains?

Where does Lauren Boebert actually stand on the issues?

‘I don’t know who my dad is’: Inside Lauren Boebert’s teary victory party

19:45 , Martha Mchardy

As the sunset disappeared over the Rockies on Tuesday evening, it had already become clear that Lauren Boebert had won.

At a venue called The Grainhouse located on “Hoedown Hill” in Windsor, Boebert watched results pour in — not in some back room like your usual politician but largely in front of the crowd, where she mingled with friends and supporters.

“Thank you... thank you for doing this,” one weepy younger supporter told the congresswoman, who went in for a hug.

John Bowden reports:

‘I don’t know who my dad is’: Inside Lauren Boebert’s teary hoedown victory party

Boebert’s Republican successor in district she fled wants to move on from ‘loud, aggressive, in your face’ politics

20:45 , Sheila Flynn

Grand Junction attorney and father of five Jeff Hurd sailed to Republican primary victory on Tuesday in the Colorado district that’s been front and center for years thanks to the antics of its incumbent, Rep. Lauren Boebert.

Hurd, 44, told The Independent in the hours before polls closed in the state’s third congressional district that “most rural Coloradans were ready to move on” from the “kind of politics that’s really loud and in your face and aggressive.”

He posted Tuesday night on social media – after a campaign that refrained from mudslinging – “A gigantic thank you to you, CO-03, for your vote today. On to the general election in November, where a brighter future for Colorado families will be on the ballet.”

Hurd will go on to face Aspen Democrat Adam Frisch – who nearly unseated Boebert in the 2022 race – in the general election in November.

READ MORE:

Boebert successor wants to move on from ‘loud, aggressive’ politics

VIDEO: Latimer, Bowman react to to primary race results

21:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Lauren Boebert makes bold statement on America’s future after winning Colorado primary

21:45 , Oliver Browning

Lauren Boebert has won the Republican nomination for US House in Colorado’s 4th Congressional District.

The controversial congresswoman easily secured a win in the state on Tuesday 25 June, despite switching to a new congressional district and a scandal-hit campaign.

Arriving for her victory party, Ms Boebert made her loyalty to Donald Trump well known, wearing a pair of reflective gold sneakers sold by the former president and a white “Make America Great Again” hat as she delivered a speech.

She declared “America will rise again” and vowed to keep fighting on behalf of the people of Colorado.

Boebert asks for donations after winning primary

22:15 , Gustaf Kilander

‘This party should fall’: MAGA candidate who didn’t win Boebert’s old seat calls Republican Party ‘irredeemable’

22:45 , Sheila Flynn

MAGA candidate Ron Hanks stood at the head of a table of supporters wearing red shirts emblazoned with his name Tuesday night at a Grand Junction brewery, thanking them for their efforts – after his more moderate “establishment” opponent was named the victor in Colorado’s third congressional district Republican primary.

“I don’t take anything that happens personally. But what I do see is the Republican Party has basically made itself irredeemable,” Hanks told The Independent shortly after his loss was confirmed.

Hanks, a hardline Trump-style conservative who repeatedly called attention during his campaign to his attendance at Jan. 6, came in second, beaten by attorney Jeff Hurd, a father of five who’s never before run for office. They were fighting to replace embattled incumbent Rep. Lauren Boebert, who emerged victorious in her campaign across the state Tuesday night after abandoning CD3 in the wake of a string of controversies.

READ MORE:

MAGA candidate who lost Boebert’s old seat calls Republican Party ‘irredeemable’

Jamaal Bowman loses most expensive House primary in history amid bitter Democratic fight over Israel and Gaza

23:45 , Eric Garcia

Democratic Representative Jamaal Bowman – a member of the self-styled “Squad” of progressive lawmakers in Congress – lost to a primary challenger who received an unprecedented onslaught of money from pro-Israel groups in the most expensive House primary in history.

Bowman had become unpopular among pro-Israel Democrats because of his support for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas amid a war that has killed more than 35,000 people in Gaza.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s super PAC (AIPAC), United Democracy Project, poured $14m into trying to unseat Bowman as he faced Westchester County Executive George Latimer, considered a Democratic Party moderate.

Early returns showed that Latimer dominated Bowman in Westchester County, winning more than 60 percent of the vote in the heavily white and affluent county, which accounted for the majority of his district. Conversely, Bowman only won 82 percent of the vote in his base of support in the Bronx, which has a large Black and Latino population but also comprises only a sliver of the total voting population.

READ MORE:

Squad member Jamaal Bowman loses win in the most expensive House primary in history