Voters in Minnesota’s bright blue 1st Congressional District served a sharp rebuke of the left’s progressive wing on Tuesday, denying Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., a third term.
The “Squad” Democrat lost her primary to St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell, a more moderate candidate who had the backing of pro-Israel groups that spent millions to unseat Bush over her criticism of the Jewish nation.
She’s the second member of her ultra-progressive group to lose their primary after Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., similarly lost to a moderate pro-Israel Democrat.
THIS HOUSE DEMOCRAT BECOMES THE FIRST SQUAD MEMBER DEFEATED IN A PRIMARY
Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., has run a bitter primary race this cycle against a pro-Israel opponent. (Getty Images)
Both are part of a growing faction of Democrats who have been critical of the U.S.’s traditionally close ties to Israel, a divide that has been on stark display since Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack last year.
Days after the attack, Bush said of Israel’s initial response, “Israel’s collective punishment against Palestinians for Hamas’ actions is a war crime.”
But Bush appears to have taken few lessons from Bowman’s loss, instead leaning into her progressive base with an Election Day eve virtual rally with Bowman and top Israel critic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., among others.
AOC EASILY WINS DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
Democratic St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell challenged her for the nomination in the safe blue seat. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, file)
Earlier this year, Bush also revealed that she was the subject of investigations by the Justice Department, Federal Election Commission and House Ethics Committee over her husband’s paid role as a member of her bodyguard detail.
Bush had accused so-called “right-wing organizations” of “peddling notions that I have misused campaign funds to pay for personal security services” in a Jan. 30 statement.
The Minnesota Democrat and her allies sought to paint Bell, her opponent, as a figure closer to the right than the left – pointing out his previous volunteer work for an anti-abortion Republican candidate.
Her race was watched closely after a pro-Israel Democrat unseated Bush’s fellow ‘Squad’ member Rep. Jamaal Bowman. (Haiyun Jiang/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Bell has also run his campaign under the banner of progressivism, but the issue of Israel has divided them sharply. He called Bush’s comments about Israel “wrong and offensive,” according to the Associated Press.
Bell is now the favorite to win the House seat in November.