Pro-Israel groups spend millions to try to oust ‘Squad’ member Cori Bush
GuardianAUG 13 2024
St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell defeated second-term Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) in the Democratic primary for Missouri's 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, 51.2% to 45.6%.
Bush, a nurse who rose to prominence as an organizer in Black Lives Matter, is the second member of the progressive House Democratic "Squad" to lose a primary election this year, following the defeat of Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.)
The primary race for Missouri's 1st District was second-only to that for Bowman's Bronx-area seat in June as the most expensive ever, as pro-Israel political action committees spent millions of dollars to unseat the two "Squad" members.
Cori Bush is the latest progressive Democrat to become victim of big money from outside donors, many of them Republicans and pro-Gaza genocide groups, further demonstrating the need for the Democratic Party to reform its electoral system. She may have lost her seat, but she will remain on the right side of history.
It's a matter of fact that the electoral process must be fixed, as groups spending tons of money in primaries do influence voters. However, that alone doesn't tell the whole story here. The defeat of Cori Bush may indicate that Democratic voters, unlike Republicans, are dissatisfied with extremist representatives and have decided to push them back.