Eliot Engel heard on hot mic: 'If I didn't have a primary, I wouldn't care'
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
"If I didn't have a primary, I wouldn't care," the New York Democrat told Ruben Diaz Jr., the Bronx borough president, as he asked for time to speak at a news conference on local vandalism.
The comments — which Engel didn't know were being recorded by a local television station — quickly went viral. The 12-second clip was viewed more than 700,000 times by Tuesday afternoon. In a statement issued later, Engel clarified that he asked to speak because he wanted to convey "I care deeply about what's happening in this country."
"In the context of running for re-election, I thought it was important for people to know where I stand, that's why I asked to speak," Engel said in his statement. "I would not have tried to impose on the Borough President if I didn't think it was important."
Engel's remarks come just weeks before New York's primary elections on June 23, when the House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman will face his most serious threat from within his own party since 2000. His challenger is Jamaal Bowman, a public school principal who has gained significant momentum in his bid to unseat Engel this month.
Engel has represented New York since 1988, and his district now includes parts of the Bronx and Westchester County. It has become a top target for progressive groups like Justice Democrats, who have rallied by Bowman.
The senior Democrat had already come under fire in recent weeks after a report revealed that Engel had not spent any time in his New York district — which had been ravaged by the coronavirus outbreak — since late March.
Engel's fate seemed to be further in question this week, after another one of his rivals from the left, Andom Ghebreghiorgis, dropped out of the primary race and endorsed Bowman in an apparent show of solidarity.
Bowman said Tuesday that he wasn't surprised by the flub.
"It's disgusting, it's abhorrent, it's unfortunate, and it's disappointing, but it's not surprising," Bowman told POLITICO.
"It just exemplifies and shows everything we already knew," he said of the hot mic comment. "To say if I didn't have a primary I wouldn't care, it captures everything not just wrong with him but the political system."
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Wow a honest Democrat. Who would have thought.
You mean an honest politician, don't you? From your article:
"It just exemplifies and shows everything we already knew," he said of the hot mic comment. "To say if I didn't have a primary I wouldn't care, it captures everything not just wrong with him but the political system."
And there I have to agree.
A comment from a fellow Democrat....
Try again. I am a registered independent. And this is the very reason I don't want to belong to any party. They are both corrupt.
I was referring to the comment you quoted, ease up there Red.
Still waiting for an honest Republican.
"If I didn't have a primary, I wouldn't care," the New York Democrat told Ruben Diaz Jr., the Bronx borough president, as he asked for time to speak at a news conference on local vandalism.
So we heard....
I think this and other trash need to be taken out..... November can't get here soon enough.