Rep. Cori Bush has lost her primary to pro-Israel prosecutor Wesley Bell in Missouri’s 1st district. With 95% of the vote tallied, Bush is down by roughly 6 points.
“I am committed to serving the St. Louis region in Congress with integrity, transparency, and dedication,” said Bell in a statement. “Together, we will tackle the challenges ahead and build a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
Bush was massively outspent by Bell, whose campaign was largely funded by outside groups. American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) spent $9 million on the race and Democratic Majority for Israel (DMFI) spent half a million.
Bush has been a target of pro-Israel groups since she was elected to the House over her support for Palestinian freedom and self-determination.
“Her consistency has been really key,” JVP Action Political Director Beth Miller told Mondoweiss last month. “Since October 7th and since Israel’s genocidal assault and attacks on Palestinians over the last nine months, she’s been consistently and loudly speaking out.”
“But long before that Congress member Bush had been pushing for an end to the unconditional flow of U.S. military funds to the Israeli government,” Miller continued. “She has been speaking out for the rights of the Palestinian rights movement and activists, the right to engage in boycott divestment and sanctions campaign. She has been speaking out about the Nakba. She really has been across the board strong on this issue.”
Bell was originally running to unseat Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) but abandoned that campaign after AIPAC recruited him to run against Bush. A recently leaked phone call revealed that he had promised Bush he would not run against her in the primary.
In the press conference announcing his candidacy Bell declared that he would not waver in his support for Israel and attacked Bush for voting against the country’s Iron Dome missile system.
“They want propaganda to try and create confusion and disinformation,” said Bell. “I think it matters a lot. And then obviously how one votes. There’s certain things that we cannot politicize and that’s one of them, in my opinion. And as we see — Republicans and Democrats alike, one of the few issues that we all come together on.”
In 2020 Bush narrowly prevailed in the Democratic primary against longtime incumbent William Lacy Clay. Her historic win came less than two months after Jamaal Bowman defeated Rep. Eliot Engel, one of the most pro-Israel House Democrats, in New York’s 16th district.
Four years later, the two progressives find themselves departing the House at the same time after losing very similar races.
Pro-Israel centrist George Latimer defeated Bowman in a contest where AIPAC spent $15 million against him. “We should be outraged when a super PAC of dark money can spend $20 million to brainwash people into believing something that isn’t true,” said Bowman in his concession speech. “I would like to make a public apology for sometimes using foul language. But we should not be well adjusted to a sick society.”
“Being pro-Israel is good policy and good politics!” AIPAC predictably tweeted after the results of the race were announced. However, as usual AIPAC avoided mentioning Israel or Palestine in any of its ads. According to a May poll from Data for Progress 83% of Democrats support the U.S. calling for a permanent ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence in Gaza.
In a defiant concession speech Bush vowed to continue her activism.
“All they did was radicalize me, so now they need to be afraid,” she declared. “They’re about to see this other Cori, this other side. AIPAC, I’m coming to tear your kingdom down.”
Progressive organizations and voices strongly criticized AIPAC’s spending in the race.
“Shame on AIPAC and the $9 million they spent against her,” tweeted IfNotNow cofounder Yonah Lieberman. “Shame on the Jewish institutional world, which spread the lie that she was antisemitic. Shame on those who oppose AIPAC quietly but sat on the sidelines for this fight. AIPAC is a threat to the whole progressive movement.”
“AIPAC may have won this election, but it is weak and losing the long term battle for public opinion,” said JVP Action Executive Director Stefanie Fox. “Cori Bush and the progressive policies she stands for – including support for Palestinian freedom – are popular. The rightwing extremists in AIPAC know that, so they had to spend millions to defeat her. We are honored to stand with Congresswoman Cori Bush, whose example inspires us to fight with heart, integrity, and courage. And like Cori, we won’t stop until we win a future of freedom, justice and equality for all, from St. Louis to Gaza.”
“Ask yourself what you’re doing to defeat AIPAC, because AIPAC is doing everything to strip us of our rights and to strip the Palestine movement of any voice in congress,” wrote activist and author Sumaya Awad.
Do a thought experiment: imagine there’s an organization called ARPAC, the American Russian Public Affairs Committee. It raises all its money from Americans and doesn’t take anything from Russia, so it’s all legal. However, ARPAC leaders often take trips to Moscow and consult with their Russian counterparts frequently, and they drop a ton of money in American elections in an effort to get pro-Russian politicians in office.
What would the public reaction be?
Medea Benjamin, via Informed Comment:
https://www.juancole.com/2024/08/aipac-hijacks-elections.html
AIPAC Hijacks US Elections
August 7, 2024
Medea Benjamin responds to the pro-Israel lobby’s second “win” of the U.S. campaign season.
By Medea Benjamin
“Rep. Cori Bush, a progressive black woman from St. Louis who is a member of the “Squad” and has been a powerful voice in Congress for poor people, women’s rights, healthcare, housing — and Palestine, just lost her primary because pro-Israel lobby groups flooded the race with outside funding. Her loss is a tremendous blow to progressives and to the U.S. electoral process itself.This is the pro-Israel lobby’s second “win” of the season. The first was the June defeat of progressive, black congressman from Westchester County, N.Y., Jamaal Bowman, who was a forceful critic of Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
AIPAC and its mis-named super PAC, the United Democracy Project, barged into Westchester County to anoint an opponent — white, pro-Israel Westchester County Executive George Latimer — and then shower him with cash.
The ads against Bowman were not about Israel. Instead, AIPAC smeared the congressman’s character and criticized him as a “hot head” who was not a reliable member of the Democratic team.
In the words of President of the Arab American Institute James Zogby, the race became “the angry, frightening young black man versus the calm, thoughtful older white guy.”
By throwing $17 million into the race, pro-Israel groups turned Bowman’s primary into the most expensive one in U.S. history. When Bowman was defeated, AIPAC declared the outcome showed that the pro-Israel position is “both good policy and good politics.”
On the contrary. It showed that pro-Israel groups can buy elections and it sent a frightening message to all elected officials that if they criticize Israel, even during a genocide, they may well pay with their careers.
Buoyed by its success, AIPAC then took on Cori Bush, marching into St. Louis determined to defeat a black woman with a unique voice in Congress.”
https://consortiumnews.com/2024/08/07/aipac-hijacks-us-elections/
AIPAC is shameless, repulsive, odious but then…what else is new? How can anyone respect these people? No shame, no self respect…nothing.
Bush and Bowman had to weather the effect of hot ERUVs in their districts—>>>like hot ocean temps fueling a violent hurricane, their districts are full of obedient revenge seeking orthodox that helped fry their re-election.
To “tear down the kingdom of AIPAC”, Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman can take a page from the Settlers–>>fire-up the Cat D9R armored bulldozer and tear down St. Louis / Yonkers ERUVs.
Religious objects should NOT be allowed on public property and they’re in violation of First Amendment.