Wesley Bell Again Defeats Cori Bush — With Plenty of Help From AIPAC

Lead

Rep. Wesley Bell defeated former Rep. Cori Bush in Missouri's Democratic primary for the 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, marking the second time he has unseated the progressive Democrat. The Associated Press called the race for Bell just over an hour after polls closed, according to multiple reports.

Bell, a former county prosecutor, beat Bush by a wide margin. One report put the final tally at 59.2% for Bell to 36.9% for Bush, a far larger margin than their first contest two years ago, when Bell won by just 5.5 percentage points.

Bush, a democratic socialist who was first elected in 2020 and was a member of "the Squad" of progressive lawmakers of color, had sought a return to Congress after her 2024 loss. Her campaign drew on her background as a nurse and pastor and on grassroots support, but she was ultimately unable to overcome the financial and organizational advantages enjoyed by Bell.

The race was one of several Democratic primaries this cycle that pitted progressives against more moderate establishment-backed candidates. Bush's defeat is seen as a setback for the progressive wing, which had hoped to build on recent primary successes.

Coverage comparison

Reports on the race focused on the role of outside spending, particularly from pro-Israel groups. The Guardian noted that the United Democracy Project, a super PAC aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), spent about $3 million to help Bell's campaign. The Jerusalem Post reported that AIPAC and its allies invested millions of dollars in the race, framing Bell's victory as a win for the Democratic Party's pro-Israel wing.

The Intercept provided additional detail, reporting that outside groups opposing Bush spent $4.6 million against her or in support of Bell, while Bush drew only $200,000 in outside spending in her favor. That report also highlighted Bush's personal story and her campaign's focus on grassroots organizing.

All reports noted that Bell campaigned on a more moderate platform than Bush, who was one of Congress's most outspoken critics of Israel following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and the subsequent war in Gaza. Bell has consistently supported the US-Israel strategic alliance, while Bush opposes US aid to Israel and has accused it of committing genocide in Gaza.

Key claims

• Bell's victory: Multiple sources report that Rep. Wesley Bell won Missouri's Democratic primary in the 1st Congressional District, defeating former Rep. Cori Bush. The Associated Press called the race about an hour after polls closed.
• Margin of victory: One report gives the final tally as 59.2% for Bell to 36.9% for Bush, describing it as a landslide victory. This is a significantly larger margin than Bell's 5.5-point win two years ago.
• Outside spending: The Guardian and The Intercept report that the United Democracy Project, a super PAC aligned with AIPAC, spent about $3 million to support Bell. The Intercept also reports that outside groups opposing Bush spent a total of $4.6 million, while Bush received only $200,000 in outside support.
• Bush's background: The Intercept notes that Bush is a nurse and pastor. She was elected to the House in 2020 and served as a member of "the Squad."
• Bell's background: The Intercept reports that Bell has a history as a prosecutor and was involved in the Ferguson protests.
• Policy differences: The Jerusalem Post reports that Bush was one of Congress's most outspoken critics of Israel after October 7, while Bell campaigned on a more moderate platform and supports the US-Israel alliance.