United States Representative Cori Bush, known for her outspoken criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, has lost her Democratic congressional primary. The race saw a significant influx of money from pro-Israel groups aimed at defeating the Missouri Congresswoman, a member of Congress’s left-wing “Squad”, told The Hill.
Bush lost Tuesday’s primary to St. Louis prosecutor Wesley Bell, who garnered about 51.2 percent of the vote compared to her 45.6 percent. “We will stand up for what is right, no matter the cost,” Bush declared in a defiant concession speech posted to social media. She added, “I just hope he [Bell] actually takes time to learn about our Palestinian, our Arab and Muslim community”, told The Guardian.
Bush’s defeat followed a concentrated effort by pro-Israel groups, such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and its affiliated Super PAC, United Democratic Project (UDP). Together, these groups spent approximately $8.5 million to unseat her.
This marks the latest success for powerful pro-Israel lobbies in their efforts to remove lawmakers critical of Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza. The conflict has resulted in nearly 40,000 deaths, predominantly women and children, and numerous allegations of war crimes by Israeli forces, including the systematic use of torture.
In Congress, Bush introduced a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza shortly after the war began, accusing Israel of conducting an “ethnic cleansing campaign” in the Palestinian territory. Last month, she boycotted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress, labeling him a “war criminal” and accusing him of leading a “genocide.”
In June, another progressive, Jamal Bowman, who also criticized the Gaza conflict, was defeated by a pro-Israel primary challenger after UDP invested about $15 million in the race.
While the defeats of Bowman and Bush demonstrate the continued influence of pro-Israel groups in US politics, they have not halted a growing trend of sympathy for Palestinians among Democratic voters. A 2023 Gallup poll revealed an 11-point shift in favor of Palestinian sympathy over Israel, and many progressive lawmakers have called for an end to US support for Israel’s war in Gaza.
During the Democratic presidential primaries, the “uncommitted” movement, which encouraged voters to mark “uncommitted” on their ballots in protest of President Joe Biden’s support for the war, consistently exceeded expectations.
Bush, a pastor and nurse who became a Black Lives Matter activist after the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, vowed to continue her advocacy. In her concession speech, she reiterated her support for “a free Palestine,” prompting the crowd to chant, “Free, free Palestine.”