Latimer to give state-of-Westchester speech Thursday as primary against Bowman looms

Westchester County Executive George Latimer is set to make his annual State of the County speech tonight with a weighty backdrop for this year's address: a congressional run that rests heavily on his record in office.

Latimer, who has led the county for six years, will deliver his remarks at 6 p.m. in the Board of Legislators' chambers in White Plains, reciting deeds by the county government from the last year and his agenda for the next. His webcast speech is sure to have a wider audience than usual because of his heated race with Rep. Jamaal Bowman in a June 25 Democratic primary for New York's 16th Congressional District.

The speech will be streamed and can be seen on the Westchester County government's Facebook page.

Several progressive and social justice groups that support Bowman plan to stage a rally near the county building before Latimer's speech. They say they'll criticize Latimer's record on affordable housing and other areas and the support for his congressional bid by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the influential pro-Israel group known as AIPAC.

Latimer, 70, has held public office at various levels for 35 years, rising from Rye city councilman to state senator before he unseated Republican Rob Astorino in 2017 to become county executive. His second and final term in that position — which is subject to term limits — is due to conclude at the end next year.

His current campaign for Congress against a progressive, second-term incumbent has so far been defined largely by their different stances on Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza, although those lines recently began to blur.

The State of the County address gives Latimer an opportunity to play to what he sees as his chief strength: his effectiveness in office, as shown by a litany of accomplishments. He has made the slogan "results, not rhetoric" one of his keystones since he launched his House bid in December.

Voter shift: More than 2,300 Westchester voters flipped blue for Bowman-Latimer primary

The speech also gives groups that support Bowman and oppose Latimer's pro-Israel stance a chance to proclaim their views. Among those expected to rally at 5 p.m. are the Westchester County Black Political Conference, Jews For Racial & Economic Justice and Lower Hudson Valley Democratic Socialists of America.

Coverage of the speech will be posted tonight.Check back for updates.

Chris McKenna covers government and politics for The Journal News and USA Today Network. Reach him at cmckenna@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Latimer to give state-of-Westchester speech as Bowman primary looms