Rep. Cori Bush Loses Missouri Primary, Republicans Seize on Defeat
Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), a prominent member of the progressive “Squad,” lost her Democratic primary on Tuesday night, marking a major political shake-up in Missouri and a significant setback for the left-wing bloc in Congress.
Bush, who has represented Missouri’s 1st Congressional District since 2021, was defeated by Wesley Bell, the St. Louis County prosecutor, in a decisive contest that ended with Bell leading by double digits. Decision Desk HQ projected Bell’s win when results showed him with 54.9 percent of the vote compared to Bush’s 41.8 percent.
The loss makes Bush the second Squad member to fall in a primary election this cycle, after Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) was ousted earlier this summer.
Online Mockery From Republicans
Bush’s defeat quickly became fodder for ridicule among Republicans and conservative commentators online. Pro-Trump comedian Terrance K. Williams posted on X: “A ‘BLACK JOB’ IS SOMETHING CORI BUSH DOES NOT HAVE. OH HAPPY DAY! OH HAPPY DAY.” He added, “She is the Second Squad member to lose her seat! I can’t wait until they are all gone. They are all full of hate [and] stupidity. I’m laughing so hard. Who’s laughing with me?”
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who sits on the House Judiciary Committee alongside Bush, took a jab at her attendance record. “I will miss Cori Bush missing every committee meeting,” he wrote sarcastically.
Ryan Fournier, co-founder of Students for Trump, also weighed in: “The Squad’s Cori Bush has LOST her primary. Join me in saying GOOD RIDDANCE! Hamas might be hiring, Cori!”
Actor Michael Rapaport, a vocal supporter of Israel, celebrated the outcome in reference to Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign rally with her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz: “Tonight at the rally they said let’s bring back ‘JOY’ to politics and boom CORI BUSH is done with Politics…. I feel JOY all of a sudden.”
A Career Rooted in Activism
Bush first rose to prominence as a local activist following the 2014 Ferguson riots, where she became an outspoken critic of police practices after the shooting of Michael Brown. Her involvement propelled her into politics, and in 2020, she unseated longtime incumbent Rep. William Lacy Clay Jr. in a major upset, earning her a place in Congress as part of the Squad, alongside Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).
Since entering Congress, Bush has been one of the most vocal progressive voices, pushing for defunding the police, Medicare for All, and other left-wing priorities. But her political stances also left her vulnerable in a district grappling with high crime and economic struggles.
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Controversies and Criticisms
Bush’s time in office has been marked by controversy. She came under fire for allegedly paying her husband tens of thousands of dollars for private security services, while at the same time calling for cuts to police funding nationwide. Critics accused her of hypocrisy, pointing out the rising crime rate in her St. Louis district.
She also drew backlash for her statements following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Bush aligned herself with pro-Palestinian demonstrators, some of whom clashed with Jewish students on American campuses. Her remarks blaming Israel for the conflict led to sharp criticism from both Republicans and centrist Democrats.
Following Jamaal Bowman’s Defeat
Bush’s loss follows that of Rep. Jamaal Bowman in New York, another Squad member who lost his primary earlier this year. Bowman became infamous for triggering a fire alarm in a congressional office building to delay a vote and faced criticism for his own support of pro-Palestinian activists.
Both Bowman and Bush have attributed their defeats to heavy outside spending, particularly from the pro-Israel group AIPAC, which poured millions into their opponents’ campaigns. They argue that their progressive platforms resonated with voters but were overwhelmed by special-interest funding.
A Changing Progressive Landscape
The defeats of Bush and Bowman raise questions about the future of the Squad and the broader progressive movement in Congress. While figures like Ocasio-Cortez and Omar continue to wield influence, the loss of two members in one election cycle underscores the challenges progressives face in holding onto power within the Democratic Party.
For now, Republicans are celebrating Bush’s downfall as evidence of what they see as voter rejection of far-left politics. Democrats, meanwhile, remain divided on whether the outcome reflects local political dynamics in Missouri or broader discontent with the progressive wing’s approach.
As Wesley Bell prepares to succeed Bush, the Missouri Democrat is left reflecting on a political career that began in protest and ended at the ballot box after just two terms in Congress.
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