Prominent progressive Congresswoman Cori Bush has lost her Democratic primary in St. Louis following significant financial backing from pro-Israel groups that opposed her stance on the Gaza genocide. St. Louis prosecutor Wesley Bell emerged victorious, securing about 51% of the vote, while Bush garnered around 46%.
Bell’s victory represents a significant win for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), marking the second such success after the group played a key role in defeating New York Congressman Jamaal Bowman, another progressive Democrat critical of Palestinian civilian deaths in Gaza. AIPAC invested $8.5 million in Missouri’s first congressional district race, supporting Bell through its campaign financing arm, the United Democracy Project (UDP). Bush had drawn the ire of some pro-Israel factions by being one of the earliest members of Congress to call for a ceasefire.