Wesley Bell wins Missouri House primary as Cori Bush comeback bid fails
Wesley Bell secured a victory over Cori Bush in the Missouri Democratic primary, effectively ending her comeback bid. The race was characterized by sharp disagreements over US policy toward Israel and the broader direction of the progressive movement.
Why it matters
Bell's win highlights the influence of pro-Israel PAC spending in Democratic primaries and suggests a potential cooling of momentum for anti-establishment progressive candidates.
Cori Bush and Wesley Bell. Composite: AP Cori Bush and Wesley Bell. Composite: AP Missouri Wesley Bell wins Missouri House primary as Cori Bush comeback bid fails Wesley Bell wins in St Louis rematch dominated by Israel-Palestine issue
Prefer the Guardian on Google The Democratic congressman Wesley Bell won his primary in the St Louis area on Tuesday, ending the progressive former representative Cori Bush’s bid for a comeback and blunting the momentum pro-Palestinian candidates have shown in recent elections.
Bell unseated Bush, a democratic socialist who opposes aid to the US ally and accuses it of committing a genocide in Gaza, in the Democratic congressional primary two years ago with the help of millions of dollars in spending from pro-Israel groups. Their rematch this year came amid a spate of primary defeats of Democratic incumbents at the hands of progressive outsiders.
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