The race for the 16th Congressional District in New York is officially underway as Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino has announced his intentions to challenge Representative Jamaal Bowman for the seat. This comes as a surprise to many in the district, as Bowman has reinvigorated the local Democratic base during his first term as Congressman.
Scarpino, who was first elected as District Attorney in 2018, will be counting on his career successes as a prosecutor to sway the election. “I am someone who has proven himself in the past few years as an effective leader,” he said in a statement. “I know that I am the best candidate for the job, and I am committed to a campaign focused on honestly, transparency, and accountability.”
This is not the only Westchester County-based challenger Bowman faces in the election. Westchester Assemblyman David Buchwald is already running against Bowman in the Democratic primary. It is yet to be seen how the race will unfold, but it is likely to be a tight one.
Though Bowman has been embraced by the progressive left of the Democratic party nationally, many have criticized him for not doing enough to help those in need locally. Scarpino is hoping to make this a major point of his campaign, touting his success as District Attorney as evidence of his ability to get things done.
Bowman is sure to have support from many higher-profile progressives, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elizabeth Warren, to name a few. However, with Scarpino and Buchwald in the race, the results of the primary are still anyone’s guess. All three of the candidates will be vying fiercely to win the votes of the district, and the results are sure to be interesting.