Former Missouri congresswoman Cori Bush, a figure who has never shied away from controversy or the national spotlight, announced on October 3, 2025, that she is making a bid to reclaim her seat in Missouri’s 1st congressional district. The move, coming just over a year after her dramatic primary defeat, has already reignited debates about the direction of the Democratic Party, the influence of outside money, and the future of progressive politics in St. Louis and beyond.
Bush, who represented the district from 2021 to 2025, made her intentions clear in a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. "I ran for Congress to change things for regular people," she declared. "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." According to the Daily Caller News Foundation, Bush’s campaign announcement underscored her belief that the city needs "a fighter who will lower costs, protect our communities, and make life fairer."
In her video, Bush doubled down on the urgency of her campaign. "Right now, we are in the fight of our lives. It isn’t politics as usual, and we can’t afford to operate as such," she said, as reported by JNS. "This is about survival for our families, and the moment is now." The timing and tone of her announcement made it clear: Bush sees her comeback as a battle not just for a seat, but for the soul of her district and perhaps even the party itself.
Bush’s defeat in the 2024 Democratic primary was a high-profile affair. She lost to Rep. Wesley Bell, a fellow progressive but one with strong pro-Israel backing. The race drew national attention, in part because of the robust involvement of pro-Israel groups. According to JNS, the powerful lobbying organization AIPAC invested a staggering $8.6 million in the race to unseat Bush. Marshall Wittmann, a spokesman for AIPAC, told JNS, "Our community was proud to help defeat her and help elect a strong Democratic leader, who fights for the people of St. Louis."
Bush has not been shy about her views on the matter. In her re-election announcement, she explicitly accused AIPAC of targeting her campaign. "Because I spoke truth, they pushed back, attacked my name, my motives, spread lies and hate," she asserted, as headlines about AIPAC’s spending flashed across the screen. Her comments reflect the deep fissures within the Democratic Party over Israel policy, especially among its progressive wing.
Indeed, Bush’s tenure in Congress was defined by her membership in the so-called "Squad," the left-wing faction of the House that includes notable figures such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Greg Casar of Texas. The group has often found itself at odds with party leadership and more moderate Democrats, particularly on issues related to foreign policy and policing.
Bush’s criticism of Israel has been a persistent theme. After the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023, she called for an end to "US government support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid." Her remarks, along with similar statements from other Squad members, drew swift condemnation from the White House. Then-press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described them as "wrong, repugnant, and disgraceful," according to JNS. Bush has also accused the American government of funding the Israeli military to "police and kill Palestinians," and she refused to participate in an interview with the St. Louis Jewish Light, further fueling controversy.
Her outspoken stance on Israel was not the only issue that set her apart. During her time in Congress, Bush was an advocate for a range of progressive causes. In 2023, she introduced a resolution calling for $14 trillion in reparations from the federal government, a proposal that drew both praise from activists and skepticism from party centrists. She was also a leading voice in the movement to defund the police, and in October 2020, she went a step further, stating her desire to "defund" the Pentagon as well. These positions, while resonant with some segments of the electorate, have made her a lightning rod for criticism both inside and outside her party.
Bush’s political career has not been without personal and legal scrutiny. In January 2024, the Department of Justice launched an investigation into her handling of campaign funds, as reported by the New York Times. While details of the probe remain limited, the investigation has cast a shadow over her political future and provided ammunition for her critics.
Her return to the campaign trail has already provoked strong reactions. Rep. Wesley Bell, the man who defeated her in the primary, responded to her announcement with a pointed reminder of the recent past. "Today my former opponent, Cori Bush, entered the race for Congress. That’s her right, and in our democracy, everyone gets a say," Bell 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 role of outside money in Bush’s defeat and the broader debate over Israel policy has become a flashpoint in the district. While Bush and her supporters frame her loss as the result of unprecedented spending by pro-Israel groups, her opponents argue that voters made a clear choice to move in a different direction. As AIPAC’s Wittmann put it, their involvement was about "help[ing] elect a strong Democratic leader, who fights for the people of St. Louis."
The stakes in Missouri’s 1st district are high, and the race is shaping up to be another test of the Democratic Party’s internal divisions. Bush’s unapologetic progressivism, especially on issues like policing, military spending, and Israel, sets her apart from many in her party—and has made her both a hero to some and a target for others. Her campaign is likely to reignite debates over the influence of money in politics, the boundaries of acceptable dissent within the party, and the future of progressive activism in Congress.
As the 2026 primary approaches, all eyes will be on St. Louis. Will Bush’s message of uncompromising advocacy and resistance to "wealthy donors" resonate with voters once more, or will her critics’ arguments about divisiveness and controversy carry the day? For now, Bush is making her case with characteristic urgency and defiance, determined to prove that her political story is far from over.
