Wesley Bell defeated Cori Bush in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District Democratic primary on Tuesday, capturing 54 percent of the vote in a rematch of their 2024 contest. Bush, who trailed in pre-election polling, finished with 39 percent, marking her second loss to the moderate incumbent in two years.
The race centered on U.S. support for Israel and the influence of pro-Israel lobbying groups. Bush, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and a former “Squad” member, has been a vocal critic of American military aid to Israel, calling the Gaza war a “genocide.” Bell, a moderate and former St. Louis County prosecuting attorney, has maintained support for U.S. military allies including Israel while allowing for disagreement on policy.
A DMFI PAC poll conducted before the election showed Bell leading Bush 48 percent to 42 percent, confirming the trajectory that ultimately held on election day. Bell’s campaign and allied groups vastly outspent Bush on advertising: Bell’s own campaign spent over $2 million, with an additional $700,000 from a super PAC called New Democrat Majority, according to ad tracking firm AdImpact. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s political action committee, United Democracy Project, spent at least $2.1 million on ads against Bush.
Bush’s defeat represents a continuation of AIPAC’s success in Democratic primaries where Israel policy has become a dividing line. In their 2024 matchup, Bell ousted Bush by 51 percent to 46 percent, a race in which AIPAC’s allies spent approximately $8.5 million either against Bush or supporting Bell, making it one of the most expensive House primaries in U.S. history. This year’s spending totaled roughly $5 million in ads — less than a quarter of the 2024 amount.
Bush had positioned her comeback as a test of whether progressive candidates could overcome pro-Israel spending. She framed the race as a referendum on AIPAC’s influence, stating that “one of us is of the people, by the people and for the people. The other one is paid for by AIPAC.” Bell rejected the characterization, arguing that voters care more about economic well-being and that Bush was ineffective during her time in Congress.
The Missouri primary was one of several races on August 4 testing the Democratic Party’s evolving stance on Israel. Missouri voters decided primary races and amendments on August 4, while voters in five states headed to polls for primaries with high stakes for the party’s direction. Progressive candidates have won in other recent contests, leading some observers to identify a “Mamdani effect” after New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s victories, but Bush’s loss underscores the continued power of establishment backing and organized spending in Democratic primaries.
Sources
- St. Louis Public Radio — Wesley Bell’s winning percentage and vote count in the August 4, 2026 primary
- POLITICO — Pre-election polling showing Bell leading 48 percent to 42 percent; AIPAC and super PAC spending figures; Bell and Bush’s positions on Israel and campaign messaging
- The Washington Post — AIPAC’s spending of more than $2 million through United Democracy Project in 2026; context on the 2024 primary spending and outcome
- Ballotpedia — 2024 primary result (Bell 51.1%, Bush 45.6%); confirmation that the 2026 primary occurred on August 4
- The Guardian — Background on Bell’s fundraising advantage and the race as a test of AIPAC’s continued influence
