After a fiercely competitive and historically expensive primary race, the Associated Press projects that St. Louis County prosecuting attorney Wesley Bell has won the Democratic primary in Missouri’s first Congressional district, beating incumbent progressive Rep. Cori Bush, who becomes the second member of the House “Squad” to be defeated during this primary cycle.
With 94% percent of the estimated vote in (according to the Associated Press’ estimate) as of around 11:00 p.m. ET, Bell leads with 51% of the vote, followed by Bush with 45.8% of the vote.
Bush is the third incumbent House member to lose a primary against a non-incumbent challenger.
A groundswell of outside spending thrust Bush’s race into very expensive territory, closely mirroring the fierce primary of fellow “Squad” member Rep. Jamaal Bowman in his New York race earlier this summer.
Nearly all the outside money in both races came from the United Democracy Project PAC, the fundraising arm affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, motivated in part by Bush’s vocal criticism of Israel in how it has carried out its war with Hamas in Gaza.
In this case, the United Democracy Project spent more than $7 million to challenge Bush and boost Bell.
Progressive Representative Cori Bush’s loss in a high-stakes Democratic primary has sent shockwaves through the political landscape. The Missouri congresswoman, who was elected in 2020 as part of the wave of progressive candidates, was defeated by her primary challenger in a closely watched race.
Bush, a vocal advocate for social justice and racial equality, had garnered national attention for her work on issues such as police reform and affordable housing. She was seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party and a potential leader of the progressive movement.
However, her loss in the primary has raised questions about the future of the progressive wing of the party. Some analysts believe that Bush’s defeat is a sign that the more moderate wing of the party is gaining strength and that progressive candidates may struggle to win in competitive races.
Others argue that Bush’s loss is a setback but not a death knell for the progressive movement. They point to other progressive candidates who have won primary races this year, such as Nina Turner in Ohio and Jamaal Bowman in New York.
Despite her defeat, Cori Bush remains committed to her progressive values and plans to continue fighting for social justice and equality. In a statement following her loss, she thanked her supporters and vowed to keep pushing for change.
The outcome of Bush’s primary race is a reminder of the challenges facing progressive candidates in today’s political climate. As the Democratic Party grapples with how to appeal to a broad range of voters, the debate over the future direction of the party is likely to intensify.
In the coming months and years, it will be interesting to see how the progressive movement responds to setbacks like Cori Bush’s loss. Will they regroup and redouble their efforts, or will they be forced to reassess their strategies and priorities? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the fight for progressive values is far from over.
