Progressive Caucus rescinds endorsement of former Rep. Mondaire Jones

WASHINGTON — The Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC said Thursday it has rescinded its endorsement of former Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y., after he endorsed the primary challenger to a top Progressive Caucus member and fellow Black New York Democrat, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, over Bowman’s criticism of Israel.

It’s an unusual move for the Progressive Caucus, which has generally tried to adopt a big-tent approach to grow its membership and avoided adopting stringent ideological litmus tests, sometimes to the disappointment of left-wing allies.

“A number of factors led to the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC rescinding the endorsement of Mondaire Jones,” said the PAC’s executive director, Evan Brown, adding that the move “was a unanimous decision of our PAC board.”

The caucus’ campaign arm has been heavily invested in Bowman’s race, launching an ad campaign on his behalf last week. He serves on the CPC’s leadership team as vice chair for labor.

Bowman is locked in a fierce Democratic primary battle with George Latimer, the executive of Westchester County, where Israel’s war in Gaza has become a central issue. Bowman says “U.S. taxpayer dollars are going towards burning infants alive” while Latimer affirms his support for the Jewish state.

The June 25 primary has become a key flashpoint in the larger conflict between the Democrat mainstream and the insurgent left, which is looking to defend Bowman after he won his seat by ousting a 16-term pro-Israel incumbent in 2020.

Jones was also elected in 2020 amid the post-George Floyd surge of progressive activists who campaigned on a platform of Medicare for All, the Green New Deal and defunding the police. He and a colleague elected the same year were the first openly gay Black