If You Don't Succeed ...
Ex-Rep. Cori Bush, 'Squad' member defeated in 2024, launches comeback bid
By Patrick Svitek The Washington Post
Published Oct. 6, 2025
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Former congresswoman Cori Bush (D-Missouri), a member of the liberal "Squad" in the House who was defeated in an expensive 2024 primary, said Friday she will run for her old seat.
The St. Louis-based district is now represented by former prosecutor Wesley Bell, who overcame Bush in the primary after benefiting from millions of dollars in spending by pro-Israel groups.
"I ran for Congress to change things for regular people," Bush said in a video announcing her comeback bid. "I'm running again, because St. Louis deserves leadership that doesn't wait for permission, doesn't answer to wealthy donors and doesn't hide when things get tough."
Bush's 2024 race against Bell, then the St. Louis County prosecuting attorney, was one of the most closely watched primaries of the cycle.
The super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee spent at least $8.6 million to unseat Bush, motivated by her outspoken criticism of Israel, especially over its handling of the war in the Gaza Strip. Weeks earlier, the super PAC helped unseat another Squad member, Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-New York), in what was the priciest House primary ever at the time.
Bell won the primary against Bush by six percentage points, and Bush quickly hinted she was not done with politics.
"AIPAC, I'm coming to tear your kingdom down," Bush said at her election night event.
Launching her latest campaign, Bush alluded to her defeat, saying, "Because I spoke truth, they pushed back, attacked my name, my motives, spread lies and hate."
Missouri's 1st Congressional District heavily favors Democrats - and could be the only Democratic-held House seat left in the state after the midterms. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) signed a new U.S. House map into law Sunday that makes it unlikely that Democrats will be able to hold on to the one other seat they control in the state, that of Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II.
Bush was one of the most vocal critics of Israel in the House. She was among the first House members to call for a ceasefire after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel responded with its war on Gaza. She said the United States should end "support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid."
Since then, the Democratic Party has grown more critical of Israel and its conduct in the war. In a Quinnipiac University poll released last month, a 49 percent of Democratic voters said supporting Israel was no longer in the national interest of the United States.
Bell has also reflected the party's increased weariness on the topic.
"I've always supported Israel's right to exist and defend itself. That hasn't changed," Bell said in July on X, responding to a report about starvation in Gaza. "But supporting this government's actions - allowing children to starve and firing on civilians seeking food - is something I can't stand by."
Despite the heavy spending by pro-Israel forces in the 2024 primary, much of the advertising against Bush focused on other issues, including her vote against President Joe Biden's 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law. She was part of a small group of House Democrats, including Bowman, who opposed it because it was not paired with a broader social spending package.
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