Cori Bush loses seat in second loss for 'the Squad'
Far-left Democrat Cori Bush, notorious for her support of defunding police, lost her seat Tuesday in a second blow to the so-called "Squad."
The two-term Missouri lawmaker was handily defeated by her opponent, prosecutor Wesley Bell.
The primary became a proxy for divisions in the Democratic party over the Israel-Hamas war. Like many progressives, Bush accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza.
"Squad" member defeated
The "Squad" has blamed Bush's defeat on the influence of the deep-pocketed pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, which supported Bell.
Bush is the second "Squad" lawmaker to lose their seat after New York's Jamaal Bowman lost a June primary, also to an AIPAC-backed rival.
“To buy an election is oligarchy, not democracy. Lets be clear, if Cori stayed silent on the genocide in Gaza, she wouldn’t have a challenger. It was her courage to stand up for Palestinians and unprotected people everywhere that angered the powerful," Bowman said.
AIPAC said Bush "represents the extremist fringe that is hostile to the Jewish state.” The organization hailed the defeats of Bush, Bowman, and Republican Bob Good (Va.) as proof that opposing Israel is bad politics.
Bush entered politics as an anti-police activist during the Ferguson riots that followed the death of Michael Brown.
Bell also rose to prominence in the wake of Brown's death, winning election to the Ferguson city council and then becoming the first black St. Louis County prosecutor.
Bush "radicalized"
In a shock move, Bell declined to charge the officer who killed Michael Brown, Darren Wilson. Bush made the Brown case an issue in the primary, but ultimately voters decided they wanted a more serious leader.
“I am committed to serving the St. Louis region in Congress with integrity, transparency, and dedication,” Bell said in a statement. “Together, we will tackle the challenges ahead and build a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
Bush has been no stranger to controversy, especially for her support of the "defund the police" movement.
She has been called a hypocrite for lavish spending on private security that sparked a campaign finance investigation - she paid her own husband for protective services.
In an explosive concession speech, Bush made it clear that she hasn't been humbled by defeat.
"All they did was radicalize me, so now they need to be afraid," she said of AIPAC. "AIPAC, I'm coming to tear your kingdom down."