Former Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO) launched a comeback bid for her old House seat on Friday after losing the Democratic primary last year.
A former member of the progressive “Squad” faction in the House, Bush represented St. Louis for two terms until her 2024 election loss. She will now face Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO), who unseated her.
“I ran for Congress to change things for regular people,” she said in a video. “I’m running again because St. Louis deserves leadership that doesn’t wait for permission, doesn’t answer to wealthy donors, and doesn’t hide when things get tough.”
Bell defeated Bush by 5.5 points in the Democratic primary last August.
His campaign was backed by pro-Israel groups, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which ran attack ads pointing out Bush’s anti-Israel views amid the Gaza war. Bush addressed these attacks in her new campaign video.
“Because I spoke truth, they pushed back. Attacked my name, my motives, spread lies and hate,” she said. The video featured article headlines about the pro-Israel lobbying efforts against her.
Bell, whose campaign received at least $8 million from AIPAC, responded to her campaign announcement on Friday.
“Today my former opponent, Cori Bush, entered the race for Congress. That’s her right, and in our democracy, everyone gets a say,” he wrote on X. “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.”
The freshman congressman went on to say that Bush wasn’t doing her best to represent the people of St. Louis during her time in office and made the case that he is the person for the job.
“The headlines and controversies of the past aren’t what we need. We need accountability and work that delivers for everyday families,” he continued. “Progressives should actually make progress when in office, and that’s what I’ve done my entire career, and it’s how I approach my work in Congress.”
Bush was one of two Squad members who were ousted last year by challengers bankrolled by AIPAC. The other one was former Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), who was bested by Rep. George Latimer (D-NY). Like Bush, Bowman served two terms.
After their respective primary losses, Bowman and Bush created a podcast to discuss the current state of American affairs. Bowman has since been involved in politics to some degree, as seen in his endorsement of New York City’s Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani.
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Meanwhile, Bush will be looking to challenge the opponent who took her House seat.
“All across America, we see it, our rights rolled back, our history being rewritten, our lives on the line,” she said. “The stakes for our community here have never been higher. I’m running because our district deserves someone ten toes down, for our families, for our wallets, for our safety, for our democracy, and for our bright future.”