Rep. Wesley Bell defeated former congresswoman Cori Bush in the Democratic primary for Missouri's 1st Congressional District on Tuesday, August 5, 2026, CBS News projects. Bell, who unseated Bush in 2025, is favored to win the November general election given the district's strong Democratic leaning.

The primary contest underscored ongoing intraparty tensions between establishment Democrats and democratic socialists, particularly regarding the future of the party and the U.S. alliance with Israel. Bush, known for her activism with Black Lives Matter, attributed her 2024 defeat to opposition from the pro-Israel lobby, which reportedly spent millions against her.

The candidates clashed during a July 24 debate over their support for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, U.S. military aid to Israel, and campaign spending. Bell stated, "I am no fan of Bibi Netanyahu, but we're still going to stand with our allies," and expressed openness to funding other needs. Bush accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a claim Bell did not directly address.

Bell also accused Bush of previously calling Harris a fascist in a 2024 Al Jazeera interview, where Bush said, "What I'm hearing is people say: 'Well, we're talking about fighting fascism... But I feel like I'm seeing fascism right now, with a Joe Biden presidency and a Vice President Harris presidency.'"

Caitlin Yilek, a CBSNews.com politics reporter based in Washington, D.C., covered the race. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.

Sources