ST. LOUIS (AP) 鈥 A deep-pocketed pro-Israel super PAC that helped defeat one member of the congressional group known as the Squad is now pushing to oust another 鈥 Missouri Democrat Cori Bush.
Bush, of St. Louis, has been a vocal critic of how Israel responded when in October, calling the Israeli retaliation an 鈥渆thnic cleansing campaign,鈥 and she was among the few House members who opposed . She boycotted before Congress last week, calling him a 鈥渨ar criminal.鈥
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee鈥檚 super political action committee, United Democracy Project, has spent more than $8.4 million to unseat Bush in her Aug. 6 Democratic primary against St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, according to federal campaign finance records.
鈥淎IPAC鈥檚 grassroots members are proud to support strong pro-Israel progressive Democrats like Wesley Bell,鈥 an AIPAC statement to The Associated Press read. "Cori Bush has been one of the most hostile critics of Israel since she came to Congress in 2021 and has actively worked to undermine mainstream Democratic support for the U.S.-Israel relationship.鈥
The race points yet again to the complications has caused for Democrats in this year鈥檚 elections, with core constituencies at odds over how President Joe Biden's administration has responded. The disagreement has implications up and down the ballot and has already cost one incumbent his seat. United Democracy Project spent nearly $15 million against progressive U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, one of the most vocal critics of the Israeli government in the House, in a June primary election he lost to George Latimer, a pro-Israel centrist in New York.
Afterward, said the 鈥渙utcome in this race once again shows that the pro-Israel position is both good policy and good politics 鈥 for both parties.鈥
Bush, in an interview, said the donors behind AIPAC support former President Donald Trump and other Republicans.
鈥淭his is only the beginning,鈥 Bush said. 鈥淏ecause if they can unseat me, then they鈥檙e going to continue to come after more Democrats.鈥
Despite the onslaught of money, Bush said she is confident she has the support of St. Louis voters.
鈥淭hey know that I鈥檝e had this same belief, this pro-peace, pro-democracy, pro-diplomacy, anti-war, pro-humanity 鈥 I鈥檝e been this person all along," Bush said.
Soon after the Hamas attack of Israel, Bush wrote on social media that Israel鈥檚 鈥渃ollective punishment against Palestinians for Hamas鈥檚 actions is a war crime."
鈥淚 strongly condemn Hamas & their appalling violations of human rights,鈥 she wrote, "but violations of human rights don鈥檛 justify more human rights violations in retaliation.鈥
Her comments , even among some supporters in her district. Not long after that, Bell announced he was dropping his plans to run for the Senate against incumbent Republican Josh Hawley to instead challenge Bush in the congressional primary.
Bell, like Bush, is Black and was active in Ferguson, Missouri, after Black 18-year-old Michael Brown was killed by a white police officer in 2014, a shooting that helped launch the national Black Lives Matter movement. After being elected prosecutor in 2018, Bell reopened an examination of Brown鈥檚 death but , Darren Wilson.
Bell, in an interview, said Bush鈥檚 comments about Israel were 鈥渨rong and offensive.鈥
鈥淪he has accused the people who have been the target of genocide and ethnic cleansing of doing that, which was just wrong,鈥 Bell said. 鈥淚srael was attacked on Oct. 7 by a terror state. They didn鈥檛 attack military targets. They attacked (people) at a concert. They attacked women, seniors, children, killed babies.鈥
Bell said the goal should be to work toward a 鈥減eaceful resolution鈥 in the Middle East.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to see any innocent Palestinians, any innocent Israelis, harmed. We want to keep the door open to a two-state solution,鈥 he said.
AIPAC isn鈥檛 alone in seeking Bush's ouster. DMFI PAC, which supports pro-Israeli Democrats, is funding TV ads supporting Bell and Yassamin Ansari, an Arizona Democrat running in the primary to replace Rep. Ruben Gallego.
Conversely, nearly two dozen progressive groups have come together to support Bush and other Squad members. The coalition, called Reject AIPAC, includes Jewish peace organizations and Arab American and Muslim groups that have been began.
One group that is part of Reject AIPAC, Justice Democrats, has spent around $1.5 million on behalf of Bush in the primary cycle. Justice Democrats spokesperson Usamah Andrabi called AIPAC's record spending in the New York race 鈥渁n all-out assault on our Democracy鈥 that was being repeated in Missouri.
鈥淎re we willing to let super PACs and lobbies, no matter what interests they represent, purchase elections and congressional seats just because they have more money?鈥 Andrabi asked. 鈥淥r are we going to build a Democratic Party that actually reflects the needs and interests of everyday people?鈥
Bush also is getting moral support from several key Democratic congressional leaders. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chair Rep. Pete Aguilar are among those who have endorsed Bush.
But the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has stayed out of the Missouri race, with no contributions listed for either Bush or Bell.
