Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) got trounced in his primary on Tuesday, but he is not the only “Squad” member facing the chopping block this primary season.
Representative Cori Bush (D-MO) is locked in a dead heat with her primary challenger, St. Louis County prosecuting attorney Wesley Bell, ahead of their August 6 election, according to one poll.
Bush, who represents the St. Louis area, is polling at 42%, one point lower than Bell at 43%, according to polling from The Mellman Group for the organization Democratic Majority for Israel, which endorsed Bell.
This is a significant drop for Bush from January, when the same polling firm found her leading by 16 points.
In the more recent poll, Bell’s lead is within the margin of error, but some indicators suggest he may have a greater advantage.
He is leading Bush by 10 points among the most consistent primary voters — 49% to Bush’s 39%, according to the poll.
He also leads Bush in job approval, with 61% saying they approve of Bell’s job performance compared to just 49% for Bush.
Bell also has an edge in favorability, with 64% of voters viewing him favorably compared to Bush’s 60%.
In New York on Tuesday night, Bowman lost his Democratic primary to George Latimer, who served as County Executive for Westchester County.
Bowman’s ousting marked the first election loss for the group of progressive House lawmakers nicknamed the “Squad,” which includes Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Bowman’s primary involved fiery attacks by the two Democrats, with Latimer criticizing Bowman’s opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza as being out of sync with voters in his district, which includes Westchester County’s Jewish population.
Meanwhile, Bowman was forced to apologize for telling a group of pro-Palestinian protesters that reports of sexual violence by Hamas were “propaganda.”
Latimer also said Bowman, the first black man to represent his district, enjoys “an obvious ethnic benefit.”
Like Bowman, Bush has been vocal in her criticism of Israel for the war in Gaza and has called for a cease-fire.
Meanwhile, Bell’s campaign website says he believes Israel has the right to defend itself.
“Israel — the only democracy and strongest American ally in the Middle East — was attacked by terrorists on October 7,” Bell’s website reads. “I believe Israel has the right to defend itself and go after those who perpetrated those attacks. In Congress, I’ll fight to make sure the United States remains Israel’s strongest ally.”
The “Squad” members made headlines when they were first elected for ousting members of Congress who had held their seats for a decade or longer.
Bush ousted 10-term incumbent Lacy Clay in 2020 and became the first black woman from Missouri to serve in the House.
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