Wesley Bell Beats Cori Bush in $8.4 Million Missouri Primary as Pro-Israel PACs Flood Race
Updated
Updated · Missouri Independent · Aug 5
Wesley Bell Beats Cori Bush in $8.4 Million Missouri Primary as Pro-Israel PACs Flood Race
3 articles · Updated · Missouri Independent · Aug 5
Summary
The Associated Press called Missouri’s 1st District Democratic primary for Wesley Bell, who ousted former Rep. Cori Bush in the state’s most expensive candidate primary this year.
The $8.4 million race turned on a sharp Israel-Palestine split, with Bell’s support from AIPAC and allied groups helping drive spending for his reelection effort to seven times Bush’s.
Bell’s side accounted for $7.2 million of total spending, including $3.1 million from AIPAC-backed efforts and about $1.1 million from New Democrat Majority; Bush spent nearly $1.2 million.
The spending gap was especially stark on television: Bell spent $864,000 on broadcast ads, while Bush spent $66,400.
In the heavily Democratic St. Louis-area district, Bell now heads to November against two little-funded Republicans and a Libertarian, making him the clear favorite.
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