A pediatrician who served as mayor of Scarsdale launches a sweeping attempt to topple New York’s newest “squad” member, Rep. Jamaal Bowman.
dr Miriam Levitt Flisser, a registered independent running on the Republican Party line, said Bowman stands too far to the left of district residents on issues such as crime, border security, the economy and Israel’s defense. The 16th congressional district includes Westchester County and part of the Bronx.
“Bowman is not representative of the people of the district. It’s a lot more extreme,” said Levitt Flisser, 76, who is the current medical director for the Bronxville School District.
“Crime is a big issue. He has made statements against the police and supported police defunding.”
Bowman, 46, a former Bronx middle school principal, won the seat in 2020 after beating incumbent Rep. Eliot Engel with 16 terms in the Democratic primary – much like progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defeated ex-Congressman Joe Crowley graduated from an elementary school in her bi-county Bronx-Queens district in 2018.
Upon his election, Bowman declared himself a new member of the leftist “squad” in the House of Representatives, which includes AOC, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri and Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
Levitt Flisser, the former mayor of Scarsdale, is an independent running for the Republican line against Bowman. Facebook/drlevittflisserforcongress
The congressman has made police defunding a central part of his political identity and has accused cops of being agents of “white supremacy.”
Levitt Flisser said she was living the American dream — after being smuggled out of Eastern Europe as a toddler during the Nazi persecution of the Jews.
As Bronxville School District medical director, Levitt Flesser said she has used her skills to safely prepare her public schools during the COVID-19 outbreak and limit student disruption compared to other districts.
Bowman first came onto the Post’s radar in 2015 when, as principal of Cornerstone Academy for Social Action Middle School, he posted a blog post in which he called “high stakes” standardized for students, “a form of modern day slavery… to the Continuing the spread of inequality.” He has also dismissed capitalism as “slavery by any other name.”
Bowman is a member of the progressive “Squad” along with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.Brigitte Stelzer.
Levitt Flisser accused Bowman of not being sufficiently pro-Israel, noting that he withdrew support for legislation to strengthen and expand the Abraham Accords negotiated by former President Donald Trump’s administration, which would limit relations between Israel and some Arab countries Countries – the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco – normalized and Sudan.
But Bowman was also criticized by activists from the Democratic Socialists of America – who support the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel – for visiting the Jewish state and the Palestinian territories late last year.
The congressman said the trip informed his decision to conclude that the Abraham Accords were counterproductive.
Levitt Flisser said Bowman was “not representative of the people of the District”. Facebook/Miriam Levitt Flisser
“In the end, I think these actions will only escalate the violence in the Middle East and make already vulnerable communities less safe,” Bowman said in a letter to voters in February. “This agreement to normalize relations unhelpfully isolates Palestine and Western Sahara, even though we need a process that includes them.”
Bowman and Ocasio-Cortez voted against President Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, arguing it was not expansive enough. He voted in favor of the Inflation Reduction Act, which includes spending on progressive measures like tackling climate change and extending subsidies to the Affordable Care Act.
The GOP challenger claimed Democrats’ stimulus spending during the COVID-19 outbreak and post-pandemic “supported inflation” and voted against it.
She said tackling climate change is an important “long-term” goal, but “we are in a crisis situation” with inflation and crime – urgent issues that should be addressed first.
Bowman has a major fundraising advantage, with $491,603 in cash in his campaign account, while Levitt Flisser has yet to file a fundraising report, according to Federal Election Commission records.
The congressman defended his record.
“Congressman Bowman believes in results, not anger, and his track record for the people of NY-16 speaks for itself. He has delivered for his constituents and brought resources back directly to this district, including hundreds of millions of dollars for our cities and communities,” the Bowman campaign said in a statement.
“He will continue to bring that energy to Congress in his second term.”