Recent polling data suggests that another member of the left-leaning “Squad” in Congress may be facing defeat on August 6th, as they are currently trailing their opponent by 23 percentage points. In Missouri’s 1st Congressional District Democratic Primary, Rep. Cori Bush is lagging behind St. Louis prosecuting attorney Wesley Bell with a score of 56% to 33. The survey was conducted by McLaughlin & Associates for the CCA Action Fund, and also included undecided voters and those supporting lesser-known candidates, Ron Harshaw and Maria Chappelle-Nadal.
This is an alarming development for the liberal “Squad,” as it follows a defeat suffered by New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman at the hands of moderate Westchester County Executive George Latimer in a June 25th Democratic primary in the 16th district stretching from Co-Op City in the Bronx to the leafy suburbs of Westchester County. Bowman was the first member of the Squad, which includes New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Bronx/Queens), to be defeated in a party primary.
The Israel-Hamas war has played a significant role in this race, with Bush, like Bowman, being a strong critic of Israel’s tactics against Hamas in Gaza. On the other hand, Bell supports Israel’s right to defend itself and target the Hamas militia for its sneak attack on October 7th, 2023, against the Jewish State. Pro-Israel Democrats are backing Bell, while critics argue that Bush has focused more on her fame in “The Squad” rather than addressing the needs of her constituents.
Two-term incumbent Bush is viewed favorably by 50% of registered Democrats and unfavorably by 47%, according to the survey conducted between June 28th and July 1st via telephone interviews and texting, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.7 percentage points. Another survey conducted late last month found Bell leading Bush by just one point – 43% to 42%, within the margin of error. In that poll, Bell was also found to be more popular and had a higher job performance rating than Bush.
As in the Bowman-Latimer race, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and the Democratic Majority for Israel are spending money in an attempt to elect Bell and oust Bush. AIPAC’s Super PAC, the United Democracy Project, has already spent $4.2 million, according to AdImpact Politics.
Similar to Bowman, Bush also has personal baggage, as she confirmed in January that the Justice Department was investigating her campaign spending on security services which employed a former security guard she married. The Post reached out to the Bush campaign for comment but did not immediately receive a response. She recently won endorsements from influential unions, including SEIU Healthcare, National Nurses United, and Communication workers of America.
