Rep. Wesley Bell defeats former Rep. Cori Bush in a Missouri Democratic primary rematch

BREAKING NEWSAug. 5, 2026, 1:02 AM UTC2026 Election2026 ElectionRep. Wesley Bell defeats former Rep. Cori Bush in a Missouri Democratic primary rematchBell won, NBC News projects, with ad support from a pro-Israel super PAC, while Bush had backing from prominent progressives.Rep. Wesley Bell, D-MO, speaks during a news conference outside the U.S. Capitol Building on Sept., 9, 2025 in Washington, D.C.Andrew Harnik / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Sahil Kapur and Brennan LeachST. 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 margin, 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 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 is talking 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 doe...