Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri is the latest “Squad” member to lose her seat, continuing a string of losses for far-left progressives even as Vice President Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz aim to take the party further in that direction.
Ms. Bush, a progressive firebrand representing Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, attempted to capture a third term this election cycle but was foiled by St. Louis prosecutor Wesley Bell, a well-funded opponent. He was backed by the same pro-Israel super PACs that ousted a fellow Squad member, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, in the New York Democratic primary.
Ms. Bush and Mr. Bowman join a growing number of progressive incumbents and challengers who have been defeated by more moderate party members in the last two cycles.
Moderate Democrats have defeated Reps. Marie Newman of Illinois, Jamie McLeod-Skinner of Oregon, Oregon congressional candidate Susheela Jayapal, Oregon District Attorney Mike Schmidt, Ohio congressional candidate Nina Turner and former Rep. Andy Levin of Michigan.
Despite her loss, Ms. Bush was defiant toward her detractors who helped Mr. Bell defeat her.
“And let me say this, AIPAC, I’m coming to tear your kingdom down!” she roared Wednesday as her supporters cheered her on. “We will keep supporting a free Palestine, a free Congo, a free Sudan, and keep opposing genocide and human rights abuses worldwide.”
Ms. Bush’s race became one of the most expensive House primaries ever, second only to Mr. Bowman’s failed reelection bid. AIPAC and its allies spent nearly $9 million in Super PAC attacks, which accounted for more than 60% of Mr. Bell’s total donations.
Justice Democrats, which is part of a progressive coalition called Reject AIPAC, spent about $1.5 million this cycle to support Ms. Bush.
“Cori Bush is what the future of the Democratic Party looks like. No matter what a singular Super PAC can spend to try and buy an election, nothing can take away from the transformational effect Cori Bush has directly had on the people of St. Louis,” said Alexandra Rojas, executive director of Justice Democrats.
“No other member of Congress has slept on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to keep their constituents housed, no other member of Congress has testified in front of Congress in their first term about their own abortion story to demand federal protections for abortion rights.
Progressive Democrats expect to have a better result when Squad member Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota faces off against Don Samuels in the Democratic primary on Aug. 13.
Additionally, Ms. Harris, the party’s presidential nominee, tapped Mr. Walz, governor of Minnesota, to be her running mate, going with a progressive over the more moderate Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro. The move was seen as doubling down on her own progressive credentials. Republicans view Mr. Walz as a “radical” progressive on policies from benefits for illegal immigrants to expanding the social safety net via higher taxes.
The Washington Times reached out to the Harris campaign for comment.
Ms. Bush found herself inundated with negative broadcast and digital ads related to her position on Israel and other policy and personal issues.
This included criticism from Democratic leaders in her district for not voting for the White House-backed bipartisan infrastructure law that spent $429 million on Missouri water infrastructure projects. Ms. Bush said the law did not include certain measures she wanted, such as subsidized child care.
She is also under federal investigation for using campaign funds to hire her husband to provide her security. She has denied wrongdoing.
Despite best efforts to raise money to fight back, according to federal financial records, she raised $2.9 million for her reelection campaign, but Mr. Bell outraised her with $4.7 million from contributors.
The Missouri congresswoman failed to convince Democratic voters in her district, composed of the city and county of St. Louis as well as the Ferguson suburbs, that Israel was on an “ethnic cleansing campaign” in its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Ultimately, the election was called after 94% of the vote was reported and Mr. Bell was leading 51% to 46%.
Ms. Bush, whose father, Errol Bush, is an alderman in Northwoods, Missouri, and previously served as its mayor, became well-known as a defund-the-police activist during the 2014 Ferguson riots.
Six years later, she used her name to launch a congressional primary campaign to oust veteran Democratic Rep. Lacy Clay, following a blue-wave election in which many of her fellow progressives were voted into office.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.