CNN projects that Missouri Rep. Cori Bush will lose her Democratic primary to St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell, continuing a trend seen six weeks ago with the defeat of New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman by pro-Israel groups.
Bush, a prominent member of the progressive “squad” alongside Bowman, faced a challenging primary in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District—the second most expensive primary of the cycle, following Bowman’s race. Her strong stance advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza contributed to her challenges.
Bell, who rose to prominence during the Ferguson protests following the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown, has now secured a victory despite Bush’s support from progressive organizations, local leaders, and key congressional Democrats. Bell, who first entered politics on the Ferguson City Council in 2015 and became St. Louis County prosecutor in 2018, is poised to be a strong contender in the general election for the solidly Democratic St. Louis-area seat.
Bell’s win marks the second time in three election cycles that an incumbent in the 1st District Democratic primary has been ousted, following Bush’s 2020 defeat of Rep. William Lacy Clay.
Wesley Bell’s decision not to charge the officer who shot Michael Brown disappointed some in the community, including Brown’s father, who voiced his frustration by supporting Cori Bush in a last-minute ad, stating, “I feel like (Bell) lied to us.”
During the primary campaign, Bush portrayed Bell as a candidate influenced by corporate donors, disconnected from the community he aims to represent in Congress. In a recent fundraising email, Bush argued that supporting her campaign meant standing up against a “grifter politician” and advocating for genuine representation for Missouri’s 1st District.
Bush’s defeat is a setback for House progressives, following a similar blow earlier this year when Jamaal Bowman, another progressive ally, lost to a more moderate opponent by over 15 points in his Democratic primary. Both Bush and Bowman faced criticism for their protest votes against President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill in 2021, which they felt lacked sufficient climate measures. (Only six Democrats opposed the bill, alongside most Republicans.)
The United Democracy Project, a super PAC associated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, spent around $9 million on ads targeting Bush and supporting Bell. One ad accused Bush of betraying both President Biden and the city of St. Louis.
Bush’s vulnerabilities included her vote against the infrastructure bill and her outspoken calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, which her opponents argued made her a target. They also criticized her focus on national issues at the expense of local concerns in her district.
Additionally, the Mainstream Democrats PAC ran ads against her, highlighting a federal investigation into alleged misuse of campaign funds for security services, though Bush denies any wrongdoing and asserts that she adhered to House rules.
Bell benefitted from significant local endorsements and substantial financial support from various sources, including the United Democracy Project, the Democratic Majority for Israel, the pro-crypto Fairshake PAC, and billionaire Reid Hoffman’s Mainstream Democrats.
Bush’s defeat marks the fourth instance this year of a House member losing a primary. Earlier, Rep. Jerry Carl lost an all-incumbent Republican primary in Alabama to Rep. Barry Moore due to redistricting, Jamaal Bowman lost his primary in June, and last week, Virginia Rep. Bob Good, a chair of the House Freedom Caucus, conceded his Republican primary after a recount confirmed his defeat.
