Oct 3, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Former Rep. Cori Bush is running for her old House seat

Andrew Solender

Cori Bush wearing a white suit and speaking into a handheld microphone as she stands behind a glass podium in front of a blue campaign backdrop. — Then-Rep. Cori Bush delivers a concession speech at her Democratic primary election night watch party in St. Louis on Aug. 6, 2024. Photo: Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images

Former Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) is seeking to return to Congress after being ousted in one of the mostly hotly contested primary elections in the country last year.

Why it matters: Her rematch with Rep. Wesley Bell (D-Mo.) adds to a growing list of contested Democratic primaries that some lawmakers fear will draw resources away from their efforts to retake Congress.

In a campaign launch video posted to social media Friday, Bush said that St. Louis "deserves leadership that doesn't wait for permission, doesn't answer to wealthy donors."
The Bell campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Zoom out: A progressive activist, Bush was first elected to Congress in 2020 after defeating longtime moderate incumbent Rep. Lacy Clay (D-Mo.).

She emerged as an outspoken member of the progressive "Squad," becoming a top target for pro-Israel groups as a result of her staunch pro-Palestinian views.
After coming under federal investigation for her campaign finances in 2024, Bush was defeated by Bell, a former local prosecutor who was backed by more than $9 million from the PAC of pro-Israel group AIPAC.

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Former Rep. Cori Bush is running for her old House seat

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