Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) faced a surprising defeat in the Democratic primary for Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, losing to St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell by 5.3 percentage points. Bell secured 51% of the vote, while Bush garnered 45.7%. The Associated Press confirmed Bell’s victory late into the night as vote counting neared completion.
Bush’s defeat is reminiscent of Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s (D-NY) earlier loss in June, who was also a member of the far-left “Squad.” Bowman lost his primary race by nearly 17 points to Westchester County Executive George Latimer. Both Bush and Bowman’s losses are attributed to their controversial stances on Israel, which turned moderate voters against them.
Bush’s outspoken criticism of Israel played a key role in her primary loss. She had been an advocate for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and criticized Israel’s actions following the October 2023 terrorist attack. Bush was one of only two House members to vote against a measure banning Hamas terrorists from entering the U.S. and opposed a resolution condemning Hamas for the attack.
Wesley Bell
Bell’s campaign successfully positioned him as a centrist alternative to Bush’s far-left views. He criticized Bush’s stance on Israel as “wrong and offensive,” and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) heavily invested in supporting Bell, spending nearly $9 million to bolster his campaign. Bell’s poll numbers had been rising significantly, showing a dramatic shift in support from earlier in the year.
In addition to the political and policy disagreements, Bush’s campaign was marred by personal issues, including a Justice Department investigation into her spending on security services. Despite endorsements from prominent figures like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, these factors contributed to her defeat. Bell will now compete against Republican candidates in the November general election.
