In a surprising turn of events on Tuesday, St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell triumphed over Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) in a high-stakes primary election, marking a very serious blow to the progressive “squad” member. This primary was one of the priciest in the nation, with substantial spending influencing the outcome.
Bell, a St. Louis native, began his career as a public defender after graduating from the University of Missouri School of Law. He later joined the Ferguson City Council, where his efforts during the 2015 Ferguson protests were noteworthy. His campaign highlighted his role in easing tensions between residents and law enforcement and his collaboration with the Department of Justice to reform Ferguson’s justice system.
Cori Bush’s defeat by Wesley Bell in the primary election underscores the intense political battle over Israel that shaped the race
Bush rose to prominence as a community activist despite the 2015 Ferguson unrest, eventually defeating a long-time incumbent to enter Congress in 2018. That same year, Bell also achieved an outstanding victory, winning the county prosecutor position.
Bell’s tenure as county prosecutor was often compared favorably to that of Kim Gardner, his city counterpart, who resigned under scrutiny. His campaign focused on familiar Democratic issues such as criminal justice reform and voting rights, though the race’s defining issue became each candidate’s position on Israel.
Bush faced serious criticism for her outspoken views on Israel’s conflict in Gaza, which she described as an “ethnic cleansing campaign.” Her stance led to controversy both among colleagues and constituents. Bell criticized her comments as lacking an understanding of the difficult historical issues at play.
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) invested over $8.5 million to oppose Bush and support Bell, marking the second time the group has succeeded in defeating a squad member over their stance on Israel. Despite these claims, Bell has denied any direct recruitment or communication with AIPAC.
The primary race saw a total expenditure of $18 million, making it the second most expensive Democratic primary ever, trailing only behind Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s (D-N.Y.) recent contest.
