Rep. Wesley Bell (D-Mo.) has turned back a second challenge from former Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), winning the Democratic primary in Missouri's 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, according to Decision Desk HQ projections. The victory all but guarantees Bell another term in the safely Democratic St. Louis-based seat.
Bush, who represented the district from 2021 to 2025, was attempting a comeback two years after Bell ousted her by roughly 5 percentage points in the 2024 primary. Her defeat that year was a significant blow to the progressive "Squad" in Congress, as she had become a prominent critic of Israel's military actions in Gaza and faced heavy spending from a super PAC aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
This cycle, AIPAC again played a major role, pouring resources into Bell's campaign. Bush sought to make Bell's support for Israel a central issue, tapping into shifting public opinion on U.S. aid to the country. She also secured the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a leading progressive voice.
Despite Bush's high-profile backing, Bell maintained a fundraising advantage in the second quarter of 2025, which likely helped him replicate his previous victory. His win continues a trend of moderate Democrats holding sway in the district, which has seen a shift away from the more progressive politics that Bush represented.
The contest was one of several this cycle where a former House member sought to reclaim a seat against an incumbent. In Texas, former Rep. Colin Allred, who left the House to run unsuccessfully for the Senate in 2024, defeated Rep. Julie Johnson in a Democratic primary earlier this spring. Other similar matchups have occurred in Virginia, where Shannon Taylor won the Democratic nod to challenge Rep. Rob Wittman, and where former Rep. Elaine Luria is set for a rematch with Rep. Jen Kiggans in a pivotal swing district.
Bell's victory in Missouri was closely watched nationally, as it underscores the ongoing intraparty battles over foreign policy and the influence of outside groups in Democratic primaries. The race also highlighted the broader dynamics of the 2026 midterms, with several states holding primaries on the same night, including Michigan, Kansas, and Washington. For a full overview of the night's results, see our live coverage.
With Bush's defeat, the progressive wing of the party suffers another setback, though recent polling suggests that the liberal base remains influential in shaping the party's direction. Bell, who has positioned himself as a pragmatic Democrat, will now head into the general election as a heavy favorite to retain his seat.
His win also carries implications for the broader debate over U.S. policy toward Israel, as Bush had made that a cornerstone of her campaign. Bell's consistent support for Israel, coupled with AIPAC's financial backing, proved decisive once again in a district that has become a focal point for these national arguments.
