Familiar choice, different visions 

Much has changed since Wesley Bell defeated Cori Bush in the 2024 Democratic primary for Missouri’s 1st Congressional District.

Bell is now the incumbent. Bush is trying to win back the seat she lost. The war in Gaza has reshaped political debate, and Democrats face a different political landscape under President Donald Trump.

But one thing has changed very little.

Bell is again making the case that he is the pragmatic Democrat who can deliver results, while Bush argues the district needs an independent progressive willing to challenge both Republicans and her own party.

The Aug. 4 Democratic primary offers voters two familiar candidates making sharply different arguments about how the district should be represented in Washington.

Three other Democrats — Carl E. Harris Sr. of St. Peters, Alissa Murphy of Clayton and Carl Ernest Henderson of Hazelwood — and Republicans Paul Berry III and Andrew Jones are also on the ballot, but none has raised enough money to emerge as a serious contender in the heavily Democratic district.

According to Federal Election Commission reports through March, Bell had raised about $1.9 million and reported about $1.2 million cash on hand. Bush had raised more than $831,000 and reported about $120,000 cash on hand.

Governing philosophy

Bell points to his record on criminal justice reform and says he’ll continue fighting the Trump administration while protecting affordable health care, lowering costs for working families and bringing federal resources back to the district.

He accuses Bush of missing votes and breaking with Democrats at critical moments.

“When she was in office, she voted against President Biden and the Democrats,” Bell said. “While everyone else understood the assignment in the last election was keeping Donald Trump out of office, Cori — days before the election — was calling Biden and Kamala ‘fascists.’ That lack of judgment matters.”

Bush says voters deserve a representative willing to challenge both parties while continuing to advocate for universal health care, reproductive rights, voting rights and lower costs for working families.

She also says the district should speak out on humanitarian issues, including the war in Gaza.

“I know people want to see their representative stand on the side of humanity,” Bush said. “But also, not give money over to war when that money could be used right here in St. Louis for tornado relief, for education, for health care, for our community violence prevention, for economic development and so many of our current issues.”

Bush defended her vote against President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better legislation, saying she opposed the final version because provisions she fought to include were removed.

“My vote wasn’t against the bill,” Bush said. “It was to get the actual, true 30-year investment into roads, bridges and infrastructure — not the 10-year investment it was dwindled down to be.”

Campaign money

The campaign has also featured sharp disagreements over fundraising and outside political groups.

Bush argues Bell has become too dependent on billionaire-backed super PACs and pro-Israel political groups.

Bell has questioned Bush’s 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, created after the May 2025 tornado, saying she has yet to demonstrate how it has helped tornado victims.

“I think Cori is about Cori,” Bell told The St. Louis American. “She literally set up a 501(c)(4), claiming that it was about tornado disaster relief … she exploited that and paid herself and her husband’s salaries.”

Bush has not publicly discussed the nonprofit in detail, and federal law does not require 501(c)(4) organizations to disclose their donors.

“I’m a former prosecutor,” Bell said. “I know a scam when I see one.”

Bush dismissed Bell’s criticism, arguing outside spending is the larger issue.

“It’s science,” Bush said. “We don’t have to match AIPAC, big crypto, big pharma, big real estate or any of these folks dollar-for-dollar. We need enough money to hit the doors, have literature and truly organize.”

Bush has repeatedly criticized Bell’s relationship with AIPAC and its affiliated super PAC, the United Democracy Project, which spent millions helping Bell defeat her in 2024 and has committed more than $1.2 million to help defend his seat.

Gaza

One major difference between this campaign and the 2024 race is the political climate surrounding the war in Gaza.

When Bell challenged Bush two years ago, he sharply criticized her calls for an immediate ceasefire and positioned himself as a strong supporter of Israel.

An AP-NORC poll this month found Democrats are increasingly supportive of Palestinians and more likely to believe the United States is too supportive of Israel than during the 2024 campaign.

Bell rejected accusations that Israel is committing genocide.

“There are things that all actors in this conflict — including us — that I disagree with, but Israel has the ability to wipe out Gaza. That’s why I push back on that description,” Bell said.

“What I want to see is durable and lasting peace in that region so that Gazans as well as Israelis can live peacefully. I’m not a big fan of our president nor am I a fan of the prime minister of Israel right now. But I’m also not a fan of Hamas.”

Bush believes public opinion has shifted.

“Two years ago, a lot of people just didn’t know where the money was coming from,” Bush said. “Now they know.”

Campaign record

Bell has also faced criticism over St. Louis County’s $500,000 settlement of a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by a veteran prosecutor.

Bell defended the charging decision at the center of the dispute.

“I did that and I’d do it again,” Bell said.

Although Bell was the central figure in the allegations, workplace discrimination lawsuits generally are filed against employers rather than individual supervisors.

Campaign similarities and political differences aside, Democratic voters will decide Aug. 4 who will represent Missouri’s 1st Congressional District in Congress.

Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.

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