Aug. 7 (UPI) — Rep. Cori Bush, member of the progressive “squad” of House lawmakers on Capitol Hill, lost her Democratic primary Tuesday in Missouri. Bush is the second squad member to lose a primary this year as Democrats split over Israel.
Bush, a second-term lawmaker, lost her primary in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District to St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell, NBC News, CNN and The New York Times projected Tuesday night.
While Bush has not issued a statement, Bell — who had been backed by a major pro-Israel group — acknowledged his primary win Tuesday night by saying he was “deeply honored and humbled by the trust the people of this district have placed in me.”
In June, fellow squad member Rep. Jamaal Bowman lost his primary in New York to George Latimer, 70, who entered the race to support local Jewish leaders who were angry at Bowman over his anti-Israel rhetoric.
Bowman’s race and loss was the most expensive House of Representatives primary in history, with nearly $25 million spent by various groups, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
Bush’s criticism of Israel also drew millions of dollars into her primary race, making it one of the highest profile races of Tuesday’s primaries being held in Missouri, Michigan, Kansas and Washington.
Bush was the first member of Congress to call for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, nine days after the Oct. 7 attack, and has accused Israel of committing genocide in its ongoing war in Gaza.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib was uncontested in her Democratic primary Tuesday in Michigan, as other squad members New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee fended off similar challenges in their primaries earlier this year.
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar is expected to face a tough primary challenge in Minnesota next week against Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels.