{"id":27286,"date":"2026-08-04T12:40:53","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T07:40:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=27286"},"modified":"2026-08-04T12:40:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T07:40:53","slug":"former-progressive-squad-member-cori-bush-attempts-political-comeback-against-missouri-us-rep-bell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=27286","title":{"rendered":"Former progressive Squad member Cori Bush attempts political comeback against Missouri US Rep. Bell"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"prism-article-body\">\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao MvWXB TjIXL aGjvy ebVHC \"><span class=\"oyrPY qlwaB AGxeB  \">JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. &#8212; <\/span>Former U.S. Rep. Cori Bush is attempting a political comeback Tuesday in a <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/elections\">Missouri Democratic primary<\/a> that tests evolving views on American-Israeli relations, just two years after the progressive \u201cSquad\u201d member was ousted by voters in favor of Wesley Bell. <\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \"><a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/missouri-congress-cori-bush-wesley-bell-a2d8c60a470a03791e61c1e8aafc0dad\">The rematch<\/a> in a heavily Democratic St. Louis district is one of several consequential primaries. In western Missouri, Republicans are picking a candidate to try to unseat Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver in <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/redistricting-gerrymander-trump-missouri-936e8daecadb32556fcfbd2eb9f7457b\">a dramatically reshaped district<\/a> that is part of President Donald Trump\u2019s attempt to retain a slim House majority in the midterms.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">In northern Missouri, Republicans are choosing a potential successor to retiring Rep. Sam Graves, chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Meanwhile, Missouri voters are deciding a pair of unique ballot measures backed by the Republican-led Legislature. One would require all citizen-initiated constitutional amendments to pass in each of Missouri&#8217;s eight congressional districts instead of by a simple statewide majority \u2014 a high standard used by no other state. The other would direct lawmakers to repeal the state\u2019s individual income tax while authorizing a state sales tax expansion. <\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The contest between Bush and Bell tests how much the Democratic Party has shifted over the past two years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The deep-pocketed American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which lobbies for U.S. support of Israel, spent millions to help <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/cori-bush-aipac-house-race-missouri-568c1a84974b8ba176a8d27a8375de42\">oust Bush<\/a> in 2024 after she criticized Israel\u2019s response in Gaza to the 2023 <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2\">Hamas attack<\/a> on Israel. Bell is again supported by AIPAC.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">But public opinions of Israel have since shifted, particularly among Democrats. A <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/israel-poll-democrats-republicans-b91cdc0aaf31f6bc226a0584115b886f\">recent survey<\/a> by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 58% of Democrats now say the U.S. is \u201ctoo supportive\u201d of Israelis, up from 45% in an <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnorc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/January-2024-Israel-topline.pdf\">AP-NORC poll from January 2024<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">This year&#8217;s primary also could test the growing clout of democratic socialists, who have traveled from across the country to help campaign for Bush.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Bush and Bell both honed their leadership skills in Ferguson amid the racial unrest that followed the fatal shooting of <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/michael-brown\">Michael Brown<\/a> by a police officer in 2014. Bell won election to the Ferguson City Council the next year, then <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/4ea468c8ffd94fd7aaff35ce8c1c17cc\">defeated a seven-term St. Louis County prosecutor<\/a> in the 2018 Democratic primary.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Bush, a protest leader, <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/8d71b1b8d25edd627b441fa7f21d23af\">defeated longtime Rep. William Lacy Clay<\/a> in the 2020 Democratic primary. She served two terms before being defeated by Bell. <\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Missouri was the second Republican state, after Texas, to respond to Trump\u2019s call last year to <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/redistricting-congress-trump-b5cab63100d50086231fe12c766f4d30\">redraw congressional districts<\/a> to the GOP\u2019s advantage ahead of the midterms. The revamped map stretches Cleaver\u2019s previous Kansas City district eastward into rural central Missouri, giving the <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/redistricting-missouri-kansas-city-trump-cleaver-8c60f8d41d2bf902536d030ace0d08d7\">new 5th District<\/a> a Republican tilt. <\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Cleaver is unopposed for the Democratic nomination. A six-person Republican primary features state Sen. Rick Brattin, a Marine veteran and founding member of the Missouri <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/freedom-caucus-republican-states-conservative-59561a5fe67c52f2a47f0106172d9b5b\">Freedom Caucus<\/a>, a conservative faction that has challenged the legislature\u2019s GOP leadership. Brattin now has the backing of some of Missouri&#8217;s top Republicans, including Gov. Mike Kehoe.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">His main advertising competitor has been Taylor Burks, a Navy officer who previously served as Boone County clerk, which oversees elections in the home county of the University of Missouri. <\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Graves, who has represented rural northern Missouri for a quarter century, set off a political scramble when <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/sam-graves-gop-congress-retires-transportation-midterms-7e531d069ed49101b67b43f5782ba64d\">he announced<\/a> in late March that he wasn\u2019t seeking reelection. He endorsed conservative talk radio host Chris Stigall, who once worked for Graves.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The five-person Republican field in the GOP-leaning 6th District also features Kansas City Council member Nathan Willett. The recent redistricting added more northern Kansas City neighborhoods to the sprawling district. The Democratic primary has three candidates. <\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">A constitutional amendment placed on the ballot by Republican state lawmakers would make it <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/ballot-initiatives-missouri-voters-ec41ae45ab3f5159d171996d4ec91577\">harder for citizen-initiated amendments<\/a> to win voter approval. The measure comes after voters narrowly passed several controversial citizen initiatives, including ones enshrining abortion rights into the state constitution, legalizing recreational marijuana, allowing sports betting and expanding Medicaid coverage to low-income adults. <\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">None of those would have passed under the proposed requirement that citizen-initiated amendments win majority approval in every congressional district. Under <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/documents.house.mo.gov\/billtracking\/bills254\/hlrbillspdf\/3353H.03T.pdf\">Amendment 4<\/a>, constitutional amendments proposed by the Legislature would still need just a statewide majority.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \"><a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/documents.house.mo.gov\/billtracking\/bills261\/hlrbillspdf\/6854S.13T.pdf\">Amendment 5<\/a> would direct the Legislature to gradually <a class=\"zZygg UbGlr iFzkS qdXbA WCDhQ DbOXS tqUtK GpWVU iJYzE \" data-testid=\"prism-linkbase\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/income-tax-repeal-missouri-sales-ballot-9d0e1d42d8b8bdea2703ce363eee0926\">eliminate the individual income tax<\/a> as state revenue grows. It also would allow lawmakers to raise revenue by expanding the sales tax to \u201cany goods and services\u201d \u2014 giving them five years to decide which sales to tax without needing further voter approval.<\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">The Missouri measure marks the first time since the modern income tax began over a century ago that a U.S. state legislature has asked voters whether to eliminate the tax. Alaska is the only state so far to impose a general individual income tax and then repeal it, doing so in 1980 by a legislative vote. <\/p>\n<p class=\"EkqkG IGXmU nlgHS yuUao lqtkC TjIXL aGjvy \">Massachusetts voters rejected income tax eliminations in 2002 and 2008 that were initiated by citizens, not lawmakers. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. &#8212; Former U.S. Rep. Cori Bush is attempting a political comeback Tuesday in a Missouri Democratic primary that tests evolving views on American-Israeli relations, just two years after the progressive \u201cSquad\u201d member was ousted by voters in favor of Wesley Bell. The rematch in a heavily Democratic St. Louis district is one&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27287,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.abcnewsfe.com\/a\/0598523a-54c1-400e-a163-31bb1b6c19aa\/wirestory_5226443026ad3b9a3e9a5979abb910a9_16x9.jpg?w=1600","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-political-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27286"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27286\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/27287"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}