I think it’s safe to say that the defeat of Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) in Tuesday’s primary continues to reverberate in Democrat circles, with the blame being put on everything and everyone except for the candidate himself who, in the end, was his own worst enemy.
Bowman, as we previously reported, now has the distinction of being the first member of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) so-called “Squad” of radical Democratic Socialist Party members to be voted out after attempts to primary other members in past election cycles have fallen short, as we saw more recently in Rep. Summer Lee’s (D-PA) primary back in April.
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The next Squad comrade to face a formidable challenger is Missouri First Congressional District Rep. Cori Bush, a Black Lives Matter alum and Rashida Tlaib mini-me whose staunchest critics have made convincing arguments that she is perhaps an even more embarrassing member of Congress than AOC, which is a tall order indeed.
The Missouri primary is on August 6th. Bush will face three opponents: St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell, former state legislator Maria Chappelle-Nadal – who once infamously called for then-President Donald Trump to be assassinated, and public school substitute teacher Ron Harshaw.
Bell, who was originally running in hopes of facing off against Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) in the general election, decided in October 2023 to take on Bush in the primary instead – in part over her stance on the Israel-Hamas war.
Of the three, Bell has received the most buzz and favorable press, and is considered the one to watch in the race.
As RedState Deputy Managing Editor Susie Moore, a Missourian, pointed out in January, Bell is “fairly progressive,” but between him and Bush, Bell would be the more sane choice for Missouri voters in the solidly blue district, especially considering the current political climate:
St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell is sane and competent, and he doesn’t make a point to pal around with known antisemites — something which one would think a candidate vying for votes would avoid, particularly in a district that is home to the largest Jewish community in the state.
Not only does Bell hold a distinct fundraising advantage over Bush, but a new poll shows him edging just ahead of her after trailing her by 16 points in the same poll in January:
The survey, conducted by the polling firm The Mellman Group for the organization Democratic Majority for Israel showed Bell, the St. Louis County prosecuting attorney, ahead of Bush by 1 point — 43 percent to 42 percent — a difference well within the margin of error. This is a notable improvement for Bell from January, when a poll by the firm found Bush leading by 16 points.
The survey this month also found that 11 percent of respondents were undecided, and 4 percent said they supported another candidate.
But the pollsters found some signs that may benefit Bell as the Show Me State’s Aug. 6 primary date approaches. Among the most consistent primary voters — those who voted in three of the most recent primaries — Bell led Bush by 10 points, 49 percent to 39 percent.
Pro-Israel groups like AIPAC’s United Democracy Project are also investing against Cori Bush in this election cycle, and already have ad reservations in place.
Unlike the Bowman/Latimer match-up, this one could go well into the night, with a winner perhaps not being announced until days later. But considering the makeup of Bush’s district and the dynamics at play, I think it’s safe to say that, unlike last time, this time around she may have finally met her match.
Flashback: Rashida Tlaib Wasn’t the Only Squad Member Inciting ‘Ceasefire’ Mobs at the Capitol
