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I admire Bowman for responding to the AIPAC onslaught head on and for much of his record when in office. He won’t disappear from the American political map. There’s no doubt that a negative result in NY-16 means something about his missteps and perhaps the broader Squad’s appeal. But Westchester was never going to be a useful litmus test for pro-Palestine politics within the Democratic Party. AIPAC can’t win everywhere. Even good electeds fall after redistricting, the Democratic Party machine is still real, and we’re still struggling to find ambassadors for Left politics with the rhetoric and mass appeal of Bernie. But even if we chalk this one largely up to AIPAC and the establishment, it’s worth thinking about why we’re not advancing in even more representative working-class districts with fewer headwinds. What limits are the Squad’s appeal running into galvanizing working-class support? Is there something from the Bernie example we’re missing (program, rhetoric, message discipline, consistency)?