Jamaal Bowman’s loss is about him — but it’s also about the Squad

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On a Friday in November 2021, members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus huddled for hours, agonizing about whether to vote to pass the bipartisan infrastructure bill without simultaneously passing President Joe Biden’s ambitious social spending and climate bill, Build Back Better. Members cycled in and out and progressive House members left their phones on the table so nobody could leak.

In the end, the progressive caucus chose to pass the bipartisan bill and all but six members voted against it: Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Cori Bush of Missouri, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Jamaal Bowman of New York.