Rep. Cori Bush (D) is projected to lose her Missouri primary on Tuesday in the latest blow to the progressive “squad” on Capitol Hill, according to Decision Desk HQ.
Bush’s loss to St. Louis District Attorney Wesley Bell in the 1st Congressional District Democratic primary makes her the second member of the group to lose re-election after Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) earlier this year.
The racial justice activist’s failure to secure a third term in the House came after her race received widespread attention for the amount of money that was invested. Pro-Israel special interest groups spent the most in the race, with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and the United Democracy Project (UDP), its super PAC, spending about $9 million to defeat Bush, who has criticized Israel’s war against the terrorist organization Hamas.
Before Election Day, Bush allies and campaign organizers feared that the amount of money would be too great for Bush to overcome, sparking an intraparty debate over how grassroots organizing should be handled. Some predicted that a high-profile defeat for Bush would cause candidates and strategists to rethink the playbooks they have used against well-funded adversaries.
This reset could occur after results show that Bush will not advance to the November general election. Bell is expected to win the all-blue seat in the fall.
In addition to criticism surrounding her stance on the Middle East conflict, Bush has also had to deal with the political ramifications of a federal investigation into allegations that she inappropriately used campaign money to obtain special House security, which she insists be inaccurate.
While progressives are likely even more anxious about their future in Congress after Tuesday night’s defeat, the results for them this cycle have been mixed. Although Bush and Bowman’s defeats gave them a wake-up call, other progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), are likely to advance to re-election. And another member of the team, Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.), won her primary earlier this year despite spending big.
These mixed results raise questions about how progressive incumbents can beat challengers with more money.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
