Oct. 3 (UPI) — Cori Bush announced her comeback bid for the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday.
Bush, who represents St. Louis and is a former member of the progressive ‘squad,’ was defeated in her primary by well-funded Rep. Wesley Bell, D-Mo.
“I ran for Congress because I know what it feels like to be a working-class St. Louisan. Too often unseen, unheard, left out,” Bush said in an ad. “I promised to fight for St. Louis, and we delivered.”
She posted on X: “We need a fighter who will lower costs, protect our communities, and make life fairer. I’ll be that fighter.”
The funding for Bell came from a super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Bush had been an outspoken critic of Israel over the war in Gaza. The PAC spent more than $8.6 million to oust her.
In June 2024, another squad member Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., lost his primary to George Latimer, 70, who joined the race to support local Jewish leaders who didn’t like Bowman’s anti-Israel rhetoric.
Bush mentioned her defeat, saying, “Because I spoke truth, they pushed back, attacked my name, my motives, spread lies and hate.”
On X, Bell responded: “Today my former opponent, Cori Bush, entered the race for Congress. That’s her right, and in our democracy, everyone gets a say. But here’s the simple truth: Missouri voters already rendered their verdict when they voted her out of office last year and chose to move on.”
While Bush has been an outspoken critic of Israel since the Oct. 7, 2023, start of the war, other Democrats are growing weary as the war lingers.
Bell has also wavered.
“I’ve always supported Israel’s right to exist and defend itself. That hasn’t changed,” Bell said in July on X. “But supporting this government’s actions – allowing children to starve and firing on civilians seeking food — is something I can’t stand by.”