ST. LOUIS — Rep. Wesley Bell defeated former Rep. Cori Bush in a Democratic primary rematch, NBC News projects, in the latest chapter of a long-term fight over a deep-blue St. Louis-based district.
Bell overwhelmed Bush on the airwaves, fending off her push to make the race a referendum on his support for U.S. aid to Israel.
In total, Bell’s campaign and outside allies outspent Bush by a staggering 27-to-1 ratio, according to AdImpact, an ad-tracking service. United Democracy Project — the super PAC linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the pro-Israel advocacy group known as AIPAC — spent $2 million to support Bell, largely through negative ads attacking Bush. One such ad slammed Bush for being critical of former Vice President Kamala Harris.
It was a reference to Bush’s criticizing the Biden-Harris administration for supporting Israel amid what she deemed a genocide in Gaza. She endorsed Harris in the 2024 election.
As Bell cast his vote Tuesday, he criticized Bush for focusing on Israel and talking “over and over … about an issue that is not impacting folks right here in St. Louis.”
“And while we take those issues seriously, you know, the M in Missouri doesn’t stand for Middle East,” Bell told NBC News. “It stands for Missouri.”
At a campaign stop later Tuesday, Bush hit back at Bell’s claims and said Missourians “are not happy” that he filled his “campaign coffers” with money from outside groups.
“Why are they meddling in our primaries?” she asked. “Why does he allow that?”
AIPAC loomed large in the race after it helped Bell oust Bush two years ago. United Democracy Project poured $9.3 million into ads in that primary, according to AdImpact, accounting for nearly half of the spending in the race.
Sidney Clark, a Democratic candidate for state representative currently serving in local government, said he supported Bell in 2024 but was voting for Bush this cycle because Bell, in his view, has “been paid for.”
“There are people out there who are using their money and financial influence to buy candidates, and I think that’s the wrong direction for our country,” Clark said after having voted at a St. Louis polling place.
Airest Wilson, another Democratic voter, told NBC News that candidates who take corporate money cross a red line for him — even if they are otherwise aligned with his political views.
“They don’t get that money for free,” he said. “You got to represent their interests. You can’t represent the constituents freely.”
“Cori, it took a lot of courage, but she rejected dark money. So that’s why I support Cori,” Wilson added.
This year, Bush ran two TV ads in the primary, each touching on multiple issues. But both linked Bell to AIPAC and cast him as more interested in sending money to Israel than Missourians, including those suffering from the aftermath of last year’s tornado.
Bell presented himself as a fighter against President Donald Trump, saying of Bush in one of his ads: “She fights Kamala Harris, Joe Biden and other Democrats.”
Bush said Tuesday that if she were to lose, it would not be a setback for the progressive movement.
“If there is a loss, then that just means that there is more work for us to do,” she said.
Asked whether she could see herself voting for Bell if he wins the primary, Bush told NBC News: “See myself voting for a Republican? Oh, I don’t think that’s on the ballot for me.”
