Another member of the far-left congressional ‘Squad’ has lost a primary to a Democratic challenger. Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) — who has garnered a reputation as one of the most far-left members of Congress — has been defeated by primary challenger Wesley Bell.
The outcome aligns with weeks of polling data showing St. Louis prosecutor Wesley Bell holding a substantial lead over the “Squad” Democrat. A recent poll from the Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI PAC) indicated Bell leading by six percentage points. The race was officially called shortly after 10 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, with approximately 13 percent of the vote counted. At that time, Bell had a decisive lead.
Bush, along with several of her progressive colleagues, faced significant financial opposition due to her stance on the Gaza conflict. Additionally, her campaign has been affected by ongoing legal troubles. In January, the Missouri Democrat came under federal investigation for alleged misuse of Congressional funds.
Between 2020 and 2022, Rep. Bush allocated around $500,000 for her security detail. Her “Defund the Police” stance attracted criticism for accepting security services while advocating for the dismantling of urban police departments across the country. By February 2023, this expenditure had risen to over $627,000, according to the New York Post. She wound up marrying one of her security officials, whom she continued to pay, according to reports.
The Daily Mail reported that the DOJ has subpoenaed the House Sergeant at Arms for records related to the misuse of congressional funds for security purposes. To date, Rep. Bush has expended over three-quarters of a million dollars in taxpayer funds on security-related expenses for her office. “The investigation follows an ethics watchdog demanding an investigation into the $62,000 she paid her now-husband Cortney Merritts from her campaign funds,” the outlet noted.
“These frivolous complaints have resulted in a number of investigations, some of which are still ongoing. The Federal Election Commission and the House Committee on Ethics are currently reviewing the matter, as is the Department of Justice. We are fully cooperating in all of these pending investigations,” she said in January.
Bush’s loss comes just a week after another “Squad” Democrat, U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), experienced a significant primary defeat. Bowman was unable to overcome a challenge from George Latimer, who aggressively campaigned against him by highlighting Bowman’s opposition to Israel and the war in Gaza.
