'Squad' Representative Cori Bush Loses Missouri Democratic Primary
Summary from the AllSides News Team
On Tuesday, "Squad" Representative Cori Bush lost her Democratic primary bid for re-election in Missouri's 1st Congressional District.
Key Details: Bush, who has criticized Israel’s military actions in Gaza, was targeted by $9 million in campaign ads from the United Democracy Project, a political arm of pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC. She was defeated by Wesley Bell, a St. Louis County prosecutor, who will likely win in November over his Republican opponent, Andrew Jones Jr., in the overwhelmingly Democratic district.
Key Quote: Before the vote, Bell said that Bush "is not working with others, and it's hurting our district." Bush then defended her record and said, "My community knows who I am. They know that I am going to fight for the people in the streets."
For Context: Bush, an organizer in the Black Lives Matter movement, is the second progressive "Squad" member who has lost to a challenger - Rep. Jamaal Bowman lost his primary race in the 16th District of New York in June. Bush was weakened in January by news of multiple federal investigations into her campaign finances related to payments for her now-husband as part of her security team.
How the Media Covered it: HuffPost (Left bias) called it a "major blow to the activist left" and said Bell had "disappointed many of his former fellow activists" with his purported failures on criminal justice reform. National Review News (Lean Right) highlighted how Bush "recently stopped short of calling Hamas a terrorist organization" and lost to someone who "positioned himself as a pro-Israel alternative."
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
Cori Bush Loses Missouri Dem House Primary against Pro-Israel Opponent
Representative Cori Bush (D., Mo.), the progressive “Squad” member who recently stopped short of calling Hamas a terrorist organization, lost a competitive House primary bid Tuesday night against St. Louis County prosecuting attorney Wesley Bell, who positioned himself as a pro-Israel alternative during the race.
The Associated Press called Bell’s primary victory at 11 p.m. EDT. He will now vie for Bush’s place in the House come November, facing the winner of Tuesday’s GOP primary in a district that President Joe Biden won by more than 60 points in 2020.
The congresswoman has represented Missouri’s...
From the Left
Rep. Cori Bush Ousted By AIPAC-Backed Primary Challenger
Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) lost her Democratic primary on Tuesday, shrinking the ranks of the House’s left-wing “Squad” and delivering another major victory to the pro-Israel and business-friendly groups that backed her challenger.
Wesley Bell, the St. Louis County prosecutor, defeated Bush. Since Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, which includes all of St. Louis and many of its northern and western suburbs, is overwhelmingly Democratic, Bell is all but assured of a seat in Congress come November.
Bell’s victory over Bush marks the second “Squad” member in recent months to fall...
From the Center
'Squad' member Cori Bush loses congressional primary
Democratic congresswoman and "Squad" member Cori Bush has lost her primary race in Missouri, according to US media projections.
Wesley Bell, a St Louis prosecutor, will instead be the party's candidate in the state's first congressional district this November.
Ms Bush came to prominence as an organiser in the Black Lives Matter movement and, after taking office in 2021, as one of the "Squad" of Democratic members of the House known for supporting progressive causes.
She has been a vocal critic of Israel's war in Gaza, with pro-Israel groups spending...
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