Washington, DC – Today, progressive Democrat Cori Bush is fighting to retain her seat in the U.S. Congress as she faces a tough primary challenge from Wesley Bell, a county prosecutor. The two are in direct competition to represent Missouri in the House of Representatives. According to experts, their conflict centers around one key issue: the response to Israel’s war in Gaza.
Bush, a member of the progressive “Squad” in Congress, has been a vocal opponent of Israel’s military offensive, which has claimed the lives of more than 39,600 Palestinians. She claims that the challenge she faces is part of a larger effort to silence critics of Israel, a long-standing American ally, and to create division among Democrats. “This is just the beginning,” Bush told the Associated Press in a recent interview. “For if they can remove me from office, they will continue to go after more Democrats.”
Politicians have also noted that Bell’s candidacy is supported by powerful pro-Israel lobbying groups. Their race is the latest in a series of Democratic primaries that have seen enormous contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and their affiliated super PAC, United Democratic Project (UDP). These organizations have invested $8.4 million in Bell’s campaign.
The Democratic primary will take place on August 6 and will determine which Democratic candidate advances to the general election on November 5 for a chance to represent Missouri’s First Congressional District. This district includes St. Louis, a significant urban area along the Mississippi River near the border with Illinois, and is considered a solid Democratic region, although Missouri generally trends to the right.
Bush, 48, is a nurse and pastor who became known as an activist following the police killing of Michael Brown, a Black teenager, in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. She credits Brown’s death and the subsequent protests as the catalysts for her entry into politics. She previously ran unsuccessfully for Congress but saw a shift in her fortunes in 2020 when she defeated 20-year-old Lacy Clay in the primary and later won the election to represent Missouri’s First Congressional District.
Wesley Bell has served as the prosecutor for St. Louis County since 2018 and is the first Black man to hold this position. Like Bush, Bell was active during the Ferguson protests, where he worked to calm tensions between residents and the police. However, he has also faced criticism for failing to bring charges against the officer involved in Brown’s death.
One of the most notable differences between Bush and Bell lies in their views on Israel. Bush was among the first in Congress to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and has repeatedly supported legislation aimed at pressuring Israel to halt the war. She has even compared Israel’s military campaign to “ethnic cleansing” and “collective punishment of Palestinians.” Bell, on the other hand, believes that the U.S. should continue to support its ally Israel while working towards a “peaceful resolution.”
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has overshadowed the primary election since the outset. Shortly after the war began on October 7, Bush joined other progressive members of the House in calling for “immediate de-escalation and a ceasefire between Israel and occupied Palestine.” This position led to backlash, with some of her fellow Democrats criticizing her for not supporting Israel’s right to “self-defense.”
Bell announced he would drop his Senate candidacy to challenge Bush for her House seat on October 30. Since Bell entered the race, AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democratic Project, has spent over $8.4 million on efforts to unseat Bush. This amount accounts for more than half of the funds spent outside of the candidates’ own campaigns.
Critics warn that this massive funding may result in outcomes that do not reflect the views of Democratic voters. Public opinion polls show widespread dissatisfaction with Israel’s military actions in Gaza and strong support for a ceasefire, especially among Democrats. “This is reaching a point where it’s very concerning that foreign funding could even exceed what the candidates are spending,” said Craig Holman, a lobbyist for Public Citizen.