Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) lost her bid for re-election in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, falling to challenger Wesley Bell in a closely contested primary.
According to the Associated Press, Bell, the prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County, secured 57,062 votes, or 51.0 percent of the total, while Bush garnered 51,197 votes, or 45.8 percent. The outcome marked a significant shift from earlier in the year, when Bush had held a double-digit lead.
A June poll conducted by the Mellman Group and published by Politico had shown Bell surging ahead, with 43 percent of voters supporting him, compared to 42 percent for Bush. At the time, 11 percent of voters remained undecided.
Bell, who has led the St. Louis County prosecutor’s office since January 2019, campaigned on his record of promoting effective and efficient law enforcement. His campaign website touted his ability to find common-sense solutions to pressing issues.
Bush’s defeat comes on the heels of another Squad member, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), losing his primary bid in June. In the aftermath of Bowman’s loss, Bush had lashed out at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Political Action Committee, accusing it of buying votes against her colleague.
Bell had received support from AIPAC, which had been a point of contention in the campaign. Bush had also faced criticism for her stance on a bill aimed at banning Palestinians who participated in Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel from entering the United States. Along with Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Bush had voted against the “No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act” in February.
