Voters in Minnesota's bright blue 1st Congressional District on Tuesday delivered a sharp rebuke to the progressive wing of the left, denying Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., a third term.
The “Squad” Democrat lost her primary to St. Louis County District Attorney Wesley Bell, a more moderate candidate who had the support of pro-Israel groups that spent millions to oust Bush over his criticism of the Jewish nation.
She is the second member of her ultra-progressive caucus to lose her primary after Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., similarly lost to a moderate pro-Israel Democrat.
THIS HOUSE DOCTOR BECOMES THE FIRST MEMBER OF THE SQUAD TO BE DEFEATED IN A PRIMARY
Rep. Cori Bush, a Democrat from Missouri, has waged a tight primary campaign this cycle against a pro-Israel opponent. (Fake Images)
Both are part of a growing faction of Democrats who have criticized the United States' traditionally close ties with Israel, a divide that has been clearly exposed since the Hamas terror attack on October 7 last year.
Days after the attack, Bush said of Israel's initial response: “Israel's collective punishment of Palestinians for the actions of Hamas is a war crime.”
But Bush appears to have learned few lessons from Bowman’s defeat, instead leaning into his progressive base with a virtual rally on the eve of Election Day featuring Bowman and Israel’s leading critic, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., among others.
AOC EASILY WINS DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
She was challenged for the nomination in the safe blue seat by Democratic St. Louis County Attorney Wesley Bell. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, file)
Earlier this year, Bush also revealed that she was the subject of investigations by the Justice Department, the Federal Election Commission and the House Ethics Committee over her husband's paid role as a member of her bodyguard team.
Bush had accused so-called “right-wing organizations” of “spreading ideas that I have improperly used campaign funds to pay for personal security services” in a January 30 statement.
The Minnesota Democrat and her allies sought to portray Bell, her opponent, as a figure closer to the right than the left, pointing to his previous volunteer work for an anti-abortion Republican candidate.
DEMOCRAT CRITICISES BOWMAN'S 'THEATER OF CONFLICT', SAYS PROFILE-FILLED DEMONSTRATION RISKS PARTY 'UNITY'
His race was closely watched after a pro-Israel Democrat unseated Bush's fellow “Squad” candidate, 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 deeply divided them. Bell called Bush's comments on Israel “wrong and offensive,” according to the Associated Press.
Bell is now the favorite to win the House seat in November.
