ST. LOUIS (AP) 鈥� St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell has defeated U.S. Rep. Cori Bush in a Democratic primary in St. Louis, marking the second time this year that one of the party鈥檚 incumbents has been ousted in an expensive contest that reflected deep divisions over the war in Gaza.
Bush, a member of the progressive congressional group known as was seeking a third term in Missouri鈥檚 1st Congressional District, which includes St. Louis city and part of St. Louis County. Bell is heavily favored to carry this overwhelmingly Democratic district in November, when his party is aiming to retake control of the U.S. House.
Bell鈥檚 campaign from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, whose super political action committee, United Democracy Project, spent $8.5 million to oust Bush. She was targeted after repeated criticism of Israel鈥檚 response to the Oct. 7 .
It was a gameplan that worked earlier this year in New York. In June, United Democracy Project spent $15 million to defeat another Squad member 鈥� U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman. Bowman lost to George Latimer, a pro-Israel centrist.
In October, Bush called the Israeli retaliation an 鈥渆thnic cleansing campaign.鈥� Soon after the Hamas attack, Bush wrote on social media that Israel鈥檚 鈥渃ollective punishment against Palestinians for Hamas鈥檚 actions is a war crime.鈥�
Her comments , even among some supporters in her district. Bell, who had been planning a Senate run against incumbent Republican Josh Hawley, instead opted to challenge Bush. He told The Associated Press last month that Bush鈥檚 comments about Israel were 鈥渨rong and offensive.鈥�
Bush responded by saying that the donors behind AIPAC support former President Donald Trump and other Republicans.
鈥淭his is only the beginning,鈥� Bush told the AP. 鈥淏ecause if they can unseat me, then they鈥檙e going to continue to come after more Democrats.鈥�
Bush and Bell both honed their leadership skills in Ferguson, Missouri, in the unrest that followed Michael Brown鈥檚 death at the hands of a police officer in 2014. Friday marks the 10th anniversary of Brown鈥檚 death.
Brown, a Black 18-year-old, was walking with a friend on Aug. 9, 2014, when a white officer, Darren Wilson, confronted them. Wilson said he fired in self-defense because Brown was so enraged. Some witnesses said Brown, who was unarmed, had his hands up in surrender. of wrongdoing and resigned, and Brown鈥檚 death led to months of protests.
Bush, 48, became a protest leader. She was outspoken and critical of how police in Ferguson and other parts of the St. Louis region treated Black people. Her activism prompted an unsuccessful run against longtime incumbent 1st District Democrat William Lacy Clay in 2018, before she defeated him in 2020. She easily won reelection in 2022.
Bell, 49, began hosting conversations about community policing after Brown鈥檚 death. The lawyer, who previously served as a municipal prosecutor and judge, ran successfully for a seat on the Ferguson City Council before St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch in the August 2018 Democratic primary.
As prosecutor, Bell reopened an examination into Brown鈥檚 death. He that while the investigation didn鈥檛 exonerate Wilson, there wasn鈥檛 enough evidence to charge him.
鈥淢y heart breaks鈥� for Brown鈥檚 parents, Bell said at the time. 鈥淚 know this is not the result they were looking for and that their pain will continue forever.鈥�
Brown鈥檚 father, Michael Brown Sr., was featured in an ad for Bush.
鈥淗e used my family for power,鈥� Brown says of Bell in the ad. 鈥淎nd now he鈥檚 trying to sell out St. Louis.鈥�
Bush鈥檚 campaign focused on what she鈥檚 accomplished for St. Louis. She said her efforts have brought $2 billion to the 1st District and that it was her protest on the steps of the Capitol in 2021 that helped extend the federal eviction moratorium as part of the COVID-19 pandemic, aiding thousands of St. Louisans.
Bell touted his own progressive credentials. He noted that as a prosecutor he has said he will not prosecute any abortion cases in a state that bans the procedure in most instances. He created diversion programs to point people with mental health and substance abuse problems toward treatment instead of jail. And his office has expanded efforts to examine potential cases of wrongful convictions.
Jim Salter, The Associated Press
