In a surprising turn of events, voters in Missouri’s predominantly Democratic 1st Congressional District have ousted Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., denying her a third term in office. The progressive “Squad” member lost her primary to St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell, a more moderate contender supported by pro-Israel groups that invested heavily in the race to unseat Bush over her criticisms of Israel.
Rep. Bush is now the second member of her ultra-progressive faction to be defeated in a primary, following Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., who also lost to a moderate, pro-Israel Democrat.
Bell, who positioned himself as a progressive yet more centrist alternative, was able to secure significant support and funding from pro-Israel organizations. His campaign capitalized on Bush’s controversial statements about Israel, particularly in the aftermath of Hamas’ terror attack on October 7 last year. Bush had labeled Israel’s response as “collective punishment against Palestinians,” which she described as a “war crime.”
Despite her colleague Bowman’s recent primary defeat, Bush continued to rally her progressive base. She held a virtual event on the eve of the election with Bowman and another prominent Israel critic, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.
Earlier this year, Bush faced scrutiny from the Justice Department, Federal Election Commission, and House Ethics Committee regarding her husband’s paid role as part of her security detail. She responded to the investigations by accusing “right-wing organizations” of spreading false allegations about her misuse of campaign funds.
Throughout the campaign, Bush and her supporters attempted to depict Bell as leaning more to the right, highlighting his previous volunteer work for an anti-abortion Republican candidate. However, Bell maintained his progressive credentials while clearly differentiating himself on issues related to Israel. He criticized Bush’s remarks about Israel as “wrong and offensive.”
Bell’s victory positions him as the likely winner in the upcoming November election for the House seat in this reliably Democratic district. His success marks a significant shift in the district’s political landscape and suggests a growing preference among voters for more moderate Democratic candidates.