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

Bell won, NBC News projects, with ad support from a pro-Israel super PAC, while Bush had backing from prominent progressives.

ST. 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 ratio, 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’s 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 ... about an issue that is not impacting folks right here in St. Louis.”