A vocal group of progressive U.S. House Democrats, known as the “Squad,” will lose another member – Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush. St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell defeated Bush in Tuesday night’s primary election.
Bell clinched the Democratic nomination for the First District Congressional race. He will take on Republican Stan Hall and Libertarian Rochelle Riggins in November’s general election.
Bush is the second member of the progressive “Squad” to lose their primary this year. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-NY, was defeated in June.
St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell
The Bell vs. Bush matchup is the second most-expensive U.S. House primary in history. About $9 million from the United Democracy Project, the super PAC arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, was spent to unseat Bush.
The expensive effort is in response to Bush’s stances against Israel including her calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “war criminal” as well as accusing the Israeli government of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Bell took 51% of the vote to Bush’s 46% in Tuesday’s election.
“This was a tough race. Anyone I ran against, they may be an opponent, but they are not an enemy. I extend my hand to everyone in this race, everyone who agreed or disagreed with because at the end of the day, we need to move this region forward,” said Bell.
Bush is the first African-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri.
“I will continue to work to bridge divides and address concerns and build a stronger, more unified community. And so, St. Louis, serving as your congress member has been the joy of my life and I’m not done yet,” said Bush.
In her concession speech Tuesday night, Bush did some trash talking but was mostly positive.
“There is nothing that happens in my life that happens in vain,” she said. “It’s because it was meant to happen.”
Bush criticized all the money used to oust her.
Bell is expected to sail to a victory in November to represent the Democratic stronghold in Congress.
“In Congress, I will never forget why I was elected in the first place – that’s to deliver results for you,” he said. “We are going to pave the way for the next generation.”
Bush has represented Missouri’s first congressional district since 2021.
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