Missouri’s first congressional district will hold a Democratic primary on Tuesday that has drawn national attention as a test of party sentiment regarding support for Israel. The race pits incumbent Wesley Bell against Cori Bush, a former member of Congress and member of the Democratic Socialists of America who lost to Bell two years ago.
Bush, who was elected to Congress in 2020 after defeating a long-serving incumbent, became known as part of the informal progressive “Squad.” Following the October 7 attack, she emerged as one of the earliest and most forceful Democratic critics of Israel’s military response in Gaza, positions that many other party members hesitated to embrace. Her advocacy has put her in opposition to major pro-Israel groups, with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and allied organizations spending more than $3 million through a Super Pac to oppose her candidacy. Bell, by contrast, describes Israel as an ally deserving of support alongside Ukraine, Taiwan, and Western Europe, and has opposed recent congressional efforts to restrict military aid to the country.
Both candidates trace their political origins to activism surrounding the 2014 police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson. Bush was an activist in the subsequent protests, while Bell later unseated the local prosecutor. The race has become a proxy battle over the Democratic Party’s Israel policy during an election cycle that will determine control of Congress. Progressive supporters argue that Bush’s potential victory would represent momentum for their movement within the party, citing recent primary victories by candidates critical of Israel support in other Democratic strongholds.
The financial disparity between the candidates is substantial, with Bell raising $3.5 million for his campaign plus outside support totaling millions more, while Bush has raised $1.3 million without the backing of major progressive groups. Bell has argued that Bush was an ineffective legislator, citing her votes against Biden administration priorities, while Bush counters that she opposed certain bills due to objections to their specific provisions. Both candidates have accused each other of various forms of misconduct and mismanagement. Local observers note that while international conflict dominates the race, both candidates have made promises to address local concerns including recovery from a deadly tornado and efforts to combat crime in the district.
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