Missouri Rep. Cori Bush, a member of the House squad of progressive lawmakers, has lost her Democratic primary to St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell. The primary in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District was the second-most expensive of the cycle, and Bell’s victory comes after support from pro-Israel groups. Bell, like Bush, gained prominence during the Ferguson, Missouri protests following the police killing of Michael Brown.
Bell’s victory in the primary makes him heavily favored in the general election for the solid blue St. Louis-area seat. This marks the second time in three cycles that an incumbent has been unseated in the 1st District Democratic primary. Bell first entered elective politics in 2015 and became the first Black St. Louis County prosecutor in 2018, defeating a longtime incumbent.
Bush sought to cast Bell as a politician influenced by corporate donors and not truly representing the community. Her defeat will be a setback for House progressives, with Bush joining the list of House members who have lost primaries this year. Bush faced criticism for her infrastructure vote and for focusing too much on national politics.
Bell had support from local endorsers and groups like the United Democracy Project and Democratic Majority for Israel. Bush, on the other hand, faced accusations of potential misuse of campaign funds for security services but denied any wrongdoing. This primary defeat marks a shift in the political landscape, with Bell emerging victorious and set to represent the St. Louis-area seat in Congress.
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