The list includes Westchester County Executive George Latimer in NY-16 and St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell in MO-01

Today, DMFI PAC announced its endorsement of six Democratic candidates running in primaries for the House of Representatives, including Westchester County Executive George Latimer in New York’s 16th Congressional District and St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District.

“With George Latimer — a proud pro-Israel Democrat whose impressive record of public service and results-oriented leadership is respected throughout New York — the 16th District will once again have a voice in Congress who represents their values. We look forward to helping Mr. Latimer in his campaign to defeat Congressman Jamaal Bowman, whose troubling track record includes demonizing and delegitimizing Israel and efforts to damage the U.S.-Israel relationship, while failing to address his constituents’ concerns about the alarming rise of antisemitism in their communities,” said DMFI PAC Chairman Mark Mellman.

“With democracy under attack across the globe, it is more important than ever to have leaders who support our democratic allies, and Israel is the only true democracy and our strongest ally in the Middle East, and I am proud to stand with them, now and forever,” said DMFI PAC endorsee George Latimer (NY-16). “This past November, I was able to see the horrors of the October 7th attacks first-hand, visiting Kfar Aza, a kibbutz near the Gaza border where people were murdered and taken hostage. I am 100% committed to defeating Hamas’ terrorism and working toward a true lasting peace in which Israelis and Palestinians can both be secure and safe in their homes. I am proud to have earned DMFI PAC’s endorsement, and I look forward to working with them to achieve the peace that all residents of the region deserve,” added Latimer.

“Wesley Bell is a distinguished public servant, a social justice champion, and a proud pro-Israel Democrat who will work to find common-sense solutions and advance the Biden-Harris agenda in Congress. Mr. Bell’s record stands in sharp contrast to his opponent, Congresswoman Cori Bush, whose opposition to the Democratic agenda and longstanding enmity towards Israel was underscored by her vituperative statements and votes since the October 7th terrorist attacks,” said Mark Mellman, Chairman of DMFI PAC. “We’re going to do everything we can to help Wesley Bell defeat Congresswoman Cori Bush,” added Mellman.

DMFI PAC endorsee Wesley Bell (MO-01) said, “I’m grateful for DMFI PAC’s endorsement and the support in this election. The United States and Israel are bound by a commitment to common interests and shared, progressive values. I know what’s possible when people come together and get the job done, and in Congress, I’ll work to ensure that the bond between our two democracies continues to strengthen.”

Bell, who traveled to Israel in 2017, recalled seeing first-hand the importance of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system after visiting a kibbutz and learning the residents had mere seconds to get to a bomb shelter.

The candidates endorsed by DMFI PAC today include Laura Gillen (NY-04), State Sen. Tim Kennedy (NY-26), Westchester County Executive George Latimer (NY-16), Josh Riley (NY-19), Rep. Tom Suozzi (NY-03) and Wesley Bell (MO-01).

Problematic records of Congressman Jamaal Bowman and Congresswoman Cori Bush

Since 2021, Representative Jamaal Bowman has established a deeply troubling track record on Israel and antisemitism in Congress, while failing to support the Biden-Harris agenda at key moments, including:

• Skipping vigils in his district held for those killed, injured, and captured during Hamas’ brutal attacks on October 7th but attending a ceasefire vigil in front of the White House on November 29th, where he made inflammatory remarks accusing Israel of genocide and ethnic cleansing
• Co-authoring a resolution referring to Israel’s founding as a Nakba, the Arabic term for catastrophe
• Withdrawing his co-sponsorship of pro-Abraham Accords legislation and vowing to vote against it
• Voting against a resolution encouraging the expansion of the historic Abraham Accords between Israel and its Arab neighbors
• Boycotting Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s address to a special Joint Session of Congress
• Sponsoring legislation placing additional conditions on defensive military aid to Israel
• Cosponsoring a resolution urging the administration to push for an immediate permanent ceasefire shortly after the October 7th Hamas attacks that would have left Hamas in control of Gaza, their weapons, and the hostages
• Voting against a resolution condemning support for Hamas and other terrorist organizations on college campuses
• Joining only 9 other lawmakers in voting against a resolution condemning Hamas’ war against Israel and reaffirming America’s commitment to Israel’s security and its right to self defense
• Voting against funding for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system
• Voting against President Biden’s once-in-a-generation Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Acts
• Voting against the debt limit agreement negotiated by President Biden that prevented the government from defaulting on its financial obligations
• Voting against the Biden-Harris-backed “minibus” to fund the federal government instead of shutting it down

Since 2021, Representative Cori Bush has emerged as one of the most strident anti-Israel voices in Congress, while failing to support the Biden-Harris agenda at key moments, including:

• Calling for an end to U.S. aid for Israel immediately after the October 7th terrorist attacks
• One of only two Members of Congress who opposed a resolution barring Hamas members who participated in the October 7th massacre from entering the United States
• Voting against funding for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system
• Introducing a resolution urging the administration to push for an immediate permanent ceasefire shortly after the October 7th Hamas attacks that would have left Hamas in control of Gaza, their weapons, and the hostages
• Falsely calling Israel an apartheid state
• Voting against President Biden’s once-in-a-generation Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Acts and refusing to meet with unions to explain her vote
• Voting against the debt limit agreement negotiated by President Biden that prevented the government from defaulting on its financial obligations
• Voting against the Biden-Harris-backed “minibus” to fund the federal government instead of shutting it down

More about DMFI PAC

DMFI PAC has played a vital role in supporting pro-Israel Democrats since its inception, backing winners in the contest for president and key Senate and House races. During last year’s Midterm Election, DMFI PAC helped bring 21 brand-new pro-Israel Democrats to the 118th Congress — with over 80% of its endorsed candidates winning their races — and helped defeat anti-Israel candidates. Some 77% of the PAC’s spending supported candidates of color.