Two years after former Rep. Cori Bush told the American Israel Political Affairs Committee she’d be back to “tear your kingdom down,” voters in Missouri’s 1st District again rejected her staunch criticisms of Israel and AIPAC.
Rep. Wesley Bell (D-Mo.), who unseated Bush in a 2024 primary after she became one of the first members of Congress to call the Israel’s actions in Gaza in its war with Hamas a “genocide,” trounced the former member of “the Squad” on Tuesday night by a yawning margin.
It’s a snag for Democratic progressives who have otherwise seen a slew of primary wins campaigning on ending military aid for Israel, and who have sought to make support from AIPAC into political poison.
The race had some key differences from when they squared off two years ago. An AIPAC-backed super PAC still spent $2 million boosting Bell, but that was a far cry from the $9.3 million the group spent two years ago, according to data from ad tracker AdImpact.
And Bush got no backup this year on the airwaves from the constellation of progressive groups that rallied to her cause in 2024.
The size of Bell’s victory suggests that Democratic primary voters’ anger toward politicians who remain supportive of Israel isn’t limitless, despite public sentiment nationwide broadly moving against Israel.
Bell, who has affirmed support for Israel’s relationship with the United States, beat Bush by about six points in 2024 and appears on track to win by even more.
On Tuesday night, AIPAC reposted a POLITICO story about the fight over AIPAC in the district, writing simply: “Congratulations, Wesley Bell!”
Bell also enjoyed the backing of establishment Democrats this year, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the Congressional Black Caucus PAC. Bush on the other hand, solidified her progressive bonafides with endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and the Democratic Socialists of America.
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