Representative Cori Bush of Missouri lost her Democratic primary on Tuesday in a significant indicator of the ongoing divides within the Democratic Party regarding U.S. policy towards Israel.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that Wesley Bell, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney and supported by the pro-Israel group AIPAC, won the primary with 51% of the votes compared to Bush’s 45.7%, as of 94% of the ballots counted.
This rift among Democrats has been particularly evident in their responses to the Israel-Hamas conflict that escalated following the attacks on October 7. While President Biden and many mainstream Democrats continue to support Israel, progressive members, including Bush, have advocated for reevaluating U.S. military aid.
Photo by ALLISON BAILEY/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
The October 7 attacks resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths, sparked a severe military response from Israel, and led to Palestinian officials reporting over 39,000 fatalities in Gaza, intensifying concerns over a humanitarian crisis.
Elected in 2020, Bush is part of “the Squad,” a group of progressive Democrats critical of the Biden administration’s foreign policy. She previously boycotted an address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing pro-Israel lawmakers of complicity in genocide.
In contrast, Bell has committed to fortifying U.S.-Israel relations if elected. AIPAC invested more than $8 million in advertising for his campaign, highlighting their influence in the race.
Another Squad member, Congressman Jamaal Brown from New York, also faced defeat in his primary, similarly due to strong AIPAC support for his opponent. Polling prior to the primaries indicated that Bush was trailing Bell by 6 points, yet she maintained her stance on the Israel issue, notably refraining from labeling Hamas as a terrorist organization in a recent interview.
Reflecting on experiences from her activism, Bush drew parallels between the treatment of protesters in Ferguson in 2014 and the current conflict, asserting that both sides have caused harm.