By Meaghan Walsh
The primary contest between Democratic Congressman Jamaal Bowman and Westchester County Executive George Latimer (D) for New York’s Sixteenth Congressional District is now the most expensive House primary in history. At $24.8M overall, this seat has seen a 789% increase in primary ad spending compared to 2020 and 2022 combined. Sixty percent of this year’s primary spending is from the AIPAC-affiliated group United Democracy Project. Their ads focus on touting Latimer as a “real progressive” and condemn Bowman’s voting record as “hurting New York.” Meanwhile, a portion of Bowman’s digital ads directly attack AIPAC’s involvement and ask voters to “defend” him at the polls.
While United Democracy Project is the most prolific advertiser in this election, other notable groups are spending as well including the crypto-affiliated group Fairshake ($2.2M against Bowman) and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s PAC, Courage to Change, ($276K supporting Bowman). Beyond outside groups, Latimer’s campaign has spent $2.7M compared to Bowman’s $2.4M.
New Yorkers have been inundated with NY-16 ads since they first went up on broadcast May 16th. United Democracy Project is the highest aired political advertiser in New York State during this time, accounting for 34% of all broadcast airings. Within the New York City market, they are currently the most aired political advertiser on broadcast by far, making up 52% of airings. The most discussed issue in the primary is abortion, with 35% of broadcast ads mentioning abortion and/or reproductive rights.
Within just the past two years, United Democracy Project has invested $50.7M in House primaries, the most of any outside group. The group is investing at a staggering scale, achieving this record by spending in just 21 primaries since 2022. The group with the second-most spending since 2017, American Action Network, has spent $48.5M across 182 House primaries. Meanwhile, Club for Growth Action has spent in 54 House primaries since 2017. This year’s NY-16 primary accounts for 29% of all primary election spending by United Democracy Project, making it the most money they have ever spent targeting one primary.
Nevada’s primaries were two weeks ago, for more insights read our blog here:
