Former U.S. Representative Cori Bush is attempting to regain her seat in a heavily Democratic St. Louis district in a rematch against Wesley Bell, who ousted her in the previous election cycle. The primary contest comes amid shifting Democratic attitudes toward U.S. policy on Israel, with recent polling indicating that approximately 58% of Democrats now believe the United States provides excessive support to Israel, compared to 45% in early 2024.
The race centers on differing approaches to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which advocates for U.S. support of Israel, spent substantial resources to defeat Bush in 2024 after she criticized Israel’s military response in Gaza following the 2023 Hamas attack. Bell has again received backing from the organization. Meanwhile, progressive activists and democratic socialists from around the country have traveled to Missouri to campaign for Bush.
Both candidates have roots in Ferguson activism. Bell won election to the Ferguson City Council and subsequently defeated a seven-term St. Louis County prosecutor in the 2018 Democratic primary. Bush, who emerged as a protest leader, defeated longtime Representative William Lacy Clay in the 2020 Democratic primary before serving two terms.
Missouri voters are also deciding several other significant races and ballot measures. In a redrawn western Missouri district, Republicans are selecting a candidate to challenge Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver in a newly competitive race. In northern Missouri, Republicans are choosing a potential successor to Representative Sam Graves, who announced his retirement. Additionally, Missouri voters face two constitutional amendments backed by the Republican-led Legislature: one would require citizen-initiated constitutional amendments to pass in each of the state’s eight congressional districts, and another would direct lawmakers to eliminate the individual income tax while expanding the sales tax.
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