George Latimer: Campaigns and Elections
George Latimer's electoral record is notable for its length, its breadth across levels of government, and the fact that as of 2024, he had never lost an election 1. From his first race for the Rye City Council in 1987 through his 2024 general election victory, Latimer won every contest he entered.
Rye City Council (1987)
Latimer's first campaign was in 1987, when he ran for a seat on the Rye City Council. He finished first in a field of six major-party candidates . He served on the council from 1988 to 1991, combining what he described as his private sector marketing experience with his interest in public service 3.
Westchester County Board of Legislators (1991 to 2004)
In 1991, Latimer was elected to the Westchester County Board of Legislators in the 7th District, becoming the first Democrat ever to win that seat, which represented Rye, Larchmont, and Mamaroneck . He was re-elected in 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2001, winning six consecutive terms . When Democrats won a majority of seats on the county board for the first time in 90 years in January 1998, Latimer was elected chairman, becoming the first Democrat to hold that post in county history . He served as chairman from 1998 to 2001 .
New York State Assembly (2004 to 2012)
Latimer won election to the New York State Assembly in 2004, representing the 91st District 4. He was re-elected in 2006, 2008, and 2010. In the 2008 race, he defeated Republican opponent Rob Biagi, raising $139,842 to Biagi's $22,273 5. He served until 2012, when he chose to run for the State Senate .
New York State Senate (2012 to 2017)
Following the retirement of Senator Suzi Oppenheimer, Latimer ran for the 37th Senate District in 2012 against Republican Bob Cohen . He won the general election and was also supported by the Working Families Party 5. He was unopposed in the 2012 Democratic primary 5. In 2014, he ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated Republican Joseph Dillon in the general election, also running on the Working Families Party line 5. He won re-election in 2016 and served until leaving the Senate to run for County Executive in 2017 4.
Westchester County Executive (2017 and 2021)
In 2017, Latimer challenged Republican incumbent Rob Astorino for the position of Westchester County Executive. The race occurred in the context of a national backlash against President Trump, which contributed to a blue wave in suburban districts across the country . Latimer criticized Astorino for obstructing compliance with a federal housing desegregation consent decree, compared him to segregationist George Wallace, and attacked his close relationship with Trump . Astorino, in turn, targeted Latimer over unpaid property taxes on a family home and personal controversies 9. Latimer won by a 16-point margin .
In November 2021, Latimer easily won re-election to a second term as County Executive without significant opposition .
2024 Congressional Primary
In December 2023, Latimer announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 16th Congressional District, challenging incumbent Jamaal Bowman in the June 25 Democratic primary . The race became the most expensive congressional primary in American history, with approximately $25 million in total spending . AIPAC's super PAC, United Democracy Project, spent approximately $14.5 million on advertising to support Latimer and oppose Bowman, more than any non-party group had ever spent on a House election .
The primary was shaped by several factors. The conflict between Israel and Hamas following the October 7, 2023 attack was the dominant issue, with Latimer positioning himself as a mainstream pro-Israel Democrat and criticizing Bowman's calls for a permanent ceasefire and his opposition to additional arms shipments to Israel . Bowman's personal controversies also played a role, including his guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge for pulling a fire alarm in a House office building and the surfacing of past blog posts in which he had entertained conspiracy theories about September 11 . The district had also been redrawn, removing part of the Wakefield neighborhood and adding vote-rich Co-Op City, which shifted its demographic composition .
Latimer received endorsements from Hillary Clinton, former Representatives Eliot Engel, Nita Lowey, and Mondaire Jones, and most area state legislators . Bowman was endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, and the Working Families Party . An Orthodox Jewish political group launched an effort encouraging Republicans and independents to register as Democrats to vote for Latimer, reportedly resulting in more than 2,300 new Democratic registrations .
Latimer won the primary decisively, 58.6% to 41.4% . Bowman became the first incumbent House Democrat to lose a primary in the 2024 cycle and the first member of the progressive group known as the Squad to be ousted, followed later by Representative Cori Bush's defeat in Missouri .
2024 General Election
Latimer faced Republican Miriam Flisser in the November 2024 general election in the heavily Democratic 16th District. He won the general election comfortably . On election night, he told supporters that government can work and that voters want results .
2026 Re-Election Bid
Latimer announced his re-election bid on April 12, 2026, submitting nearly 10,000 petition signatures . Running unopposed in the Democratic primary scheduled for June 23, 2026, he effectively secured his place as the party's nominee . Ballotpedia lists John Franklin Wilson IV as a general election candidate on the Republican line for the November 3, 2026 contest 5. For the 2025-2026 cycle, Latimer's campaign committee has raised $489,299 in total receipts from January 2025 through June 2026, according to FEC filings 22.