Democrat-drawn NY congressional map could shake up Bowman-Latimer primary race

A new Democrat-drawn congressional map sent New York’s political establishment scrambling early Tuesday to see how the proposed boundaries could affect a handful of swing districts that could decide the balance of power in Congress.

But one of the proposed map’s most significant changes came in the northeast Bronx, in a heavily Democratic district that isn’t in danger of falling into Republican hands.

The map from Democratic state lawmakers would move Co-op City, a majority-Black housing development with more than 40,000 residents, into the 16th District currently held by Rep. Jamaal Bowman, a progressive locked in a bitter primary race with Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

The move would, on its face, seem to benefit Bowman, a former Bronx school principal who had a strong showing in Co-op City when he defeated then-incumbent Eliot Engel in the 2020 Democratic primary. Bowman’s supporters have advocated for the neighborhood to be added back to his district after it was removed in 2022's redistricting.

But the 16th District’s proposed boundaries would also cede the Bronx’s Wakefield neighborhood to balance out Co-op City's inclusion. That would leave the extensive Westchester County portion of the district intact — a potential boon for Latimer, who has represented the county in different capacities for decades.

The proposed changes, which the Democrat-dominated state Legislature is expected to approve as soon as Wednesday, drew no public declarations of support or opposition from either candidate as of late Tuesday afternoon.

In an interview with Gothamist at the state Capitol, Latimer said he hadn’t yet analyzed whether the change would help or hurt his chances in the race.

“I remember when Co-op City was Freedomland and they tore it down to create Co-op City,” he said, referring to the amusement park that predated the housing development. “So I've been around long enough to know, and we'll see what happens. And whatever happens, those are the people that I'll have to reach out to and try to make my case.”

Bowman, through his campaign, did not immediately comment on the maps.

Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Bronx Democrat, told reporters on Tuesday that the change was made to consolidate the number of members who represent the northern Bronx, which overlaps with his state legislative district.

“That area previously was represented by three members of Congress,” he said. “So we feel we made an improvement by only having that area … represented by two members of Congress.”

Latimer walked the Capitol's halls on Tuesday, just hours after Democrats released their proposed congressional map. But he insisted his visit had nothing to do with the redistricting process and said he was in Albany for a conference of county leaders from across New York.

Latimer, a former state Assemblymember, said he was visiting the Capitol on his way out of town to send well wishes to two of his former colleagues who are set to retire this year. He said he also met with Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Democrat who represents Yonkers, and the Westchester legislative delegation, but not about redistricting.

“I didn't interact in the [redistricting] process at all,” Latimer said. “I know that seems incredible to believe, but I didn't.”

The Westchester County executive has repeatedly said he would do well in a district that included more of the county, where he has name recognition from his years of public service. A slew of Westchester Democrats are backing his campaign, including state Assemblymember Amy Paulin and state Sen. Shelley Mayer.

After the state Independent Redistricting Commission released its version of the boundaries in mid-February, Latimer told Gothamist he was “committed to the race” no matter how the redistricting wound up. The Legislature is now poised to change those boundaries.

This story has been updated with comment from state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie.