Westchester County Executive and Rye guy George Latimer has filed with the Federal Election Commission a “Statement of Candidacy” – his intention to run as a candidate for the US House of Representatives in NY-16. Latimer, who just returned from a mission trip to Israel last Thursday, and who spent part of Sunday watching the Garnet football win at Kelly’s Sea Level, will go up against sitting Democratic Congressman Jamaal Bowman.
The action was widely expected. Latimer had indicated he was leaning toward a run and that he intended to finish work on the County budget before any formal announcement.
FEC filings show Bowman has total receipts of $658K with $182K cash remaining as of September 30th. The only other contender has been pastor and criminal justice counselor Michael Gerald, who paused his campaign back on October 31st, saying at the time he would support a Latimer candidacy.
“Our district, like many others, has experienced a turbulent period with the recent events in the Middle East,” said Gerald back on October 31st. “The safety and concerns of our constituents are of paramount importance. I believe that George Latimer’s leadership and his ability to navigate complex issues will serve the residents of NY-16 exceptionally well during these challenging times.”
Gerald had only raised $38K as of the September 30th FEC reporting period.
Latimer was born and raised in Mount Vernon. He moved to Rye after his marriage to Robin Phelps Latimer, a Rye native. Latimer started his political career after his election to the Rye City Council in 1987. He has served in various County and State elected offices. He initially won his current County Executive role back in 2017 when he challenged incumbent Rob Astorino.
