Former congresswoman Cori Bush was soundly defeated in her effort to return to the U.S. House of Representatives in the Democratic Party primary for Missouri’s 1st Congressional District on Tuesday night.
U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell was declared the winner of the closely watched primary within 20 minutes of polls closing by notable forecasters such as Decision Desk HQ and the Associated Press.
Early returns showed Bell leading with approximately 70.7 percent of the vote to Bush’s 25.8 percent with an estimated 31 percent of ballots counted. Earlier partial tallies from St. Louis County indicated an even wider margin for Bell. Other candidates on the ballot, including Alissa Murphy, Carl Harris Sr., and Carl Henderson, received small shares of the vote
As of this report, Bell’s margin of victory is on pace to be substantially higher than in the prior contest between the two.
🚨 RACE CALL: Incumbent Rep. Wesley Bell defeats Cori Bush in the MO-01 Democratic primary pic.twitter.com/EZUSpjPd9N
— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) August 5, 2026
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Bush previously represented Missouri’s 1st District, which encompasses St. Louis and portions of St. Louis County, from January 3, 2021, to January 3, 2025. She first won the seat in the 2020 election cycle after defeating longtime incumbent William Lacy Clay in the Democratic primary.
During her tenure, she served on the House Judiciary Committee and the Committee on Oversight and Reform (later Oversight and Accountability). She was associated with the group of far-left House Democrats known as “the Squad” during her time in Washington.
In the 2024 Democratic primary, Bush sought a third term but lost to Bell, then the St. Louis County prosecuting attorney. Bell received 51.12 percent of the vote (63,521 votes) to Bush’s 45.65 percent (56,723 votes), with the remainder going to other candidates.
Both contests, though primarily the first matchup, were defined by heavy outside spending. The United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), spent approximately $8.5 million to $9.3 million in support of Bell or in opposition to Bush. The race was among the most expensive House primaries on record.
Bush announced her candidacy to reclaim the seat in October 2025, setting up a rematch with Bell. The former congresswoman received a number of high-profile endorsements in her comeback campaign, including that of Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and focused heavily on far-left causes like abolishing ICE and steep Pentagon cuts.
Bell was supported by House Democratic leadership including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the Congressional Black Caucus, highlighted his work in Congress, including efforts related to disaster recovery following a tornado that affected the St. Louis area in 2025. Outside groups aligned with pro-Israel positions again provided financial support for Bell’s campaign, though at lower levels than in 2024.
Missouri’s 1st District is heavily-Democrat leaning, which means Tuesday’s result practically guarantees Bell’s re-election in November.
