Boebert wins, Bowman loses in high-profile primaries

What happened

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday became the first member of the leftist "Squad" to lose a primary fight while far-right media star Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo) won a crowded open primary in Colorado's eastern 4th Congressional District. In other notable primary results, Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah) beat a Donald Trump–backed candidate in the GOP race to replace Sen. Mitt Romney, and former CNN anchor John Avlon easily won the Democratic primary in a district on New York's Long Island that Democrats hope to flip in November. 

Who said what

Boebert is switching from Colorado's western 3rd District after nearly losing her seat to a little-known Democrat in 2022 and a later scandal involving poor behavior in a Denver theater. Bowman lost to moderate challenger George Latimer after the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC spent nearly $15 million to unseat the blunder-prone two-term incumbent, in the most expensive House primary in U.S. history. Bowman told supporters they should be "outraged" that a super PAC can spend so lavishly to "brainwash people."

In Utah, Curtis' victory over MAGA candidate Trent Staggs means "Mitt Romney will be replaced by a guy who sure sounds a lot like Mitt Romney," Politico said.

What next?

Boebert, Latimer and Curtis are all expected to win in November. Democrats, who see New York as crucial to their bid to retake the House, say Avlon is running in "one of the most competitive districts in the country"; the Cook Political Report rates the race "likely Republican."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up