Democrat Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri’s First Congressional District is in hot water yet again. Not only is she facing a federal investigation for potential misuse of campaign and government funds, but she is now facing not one, but TWO primary challengers from within her own party.
This latest twist in the political drama surrounding Bush comes just days after she made headlines for accusing Israel of engaging in an “ethnic cleansing” campaign. While this may have pleased some of her far-left supporters, it has also drawn heavy criticism from the powerful pro-Israel lobbying group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
But it’s not just her stance on Israel that has her own party turning against her. St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell, who was initially planning on challenging Republican Senator Josh Hawley, has now set his sights on Bush’s congressional seat. And now, Maria Chappelle-Nadal, a former state legislator with a history of making controversial statements, has thrown her hat in the ring as well.
Chappelle-Nadal wasted no time in attacking Bush, calling her out for creating “more controversy than progress” and referring to Bell as a “Republican plant.” Bush has been a lightning rod for criticism during her time in Congress. From her radical anti-Israel views to her questionable financial dealings, it’s clear that she has not been a unifying force in Missouri’s First District.
I’m running for Congress. Join me at https://t.co/tdoU6j1Bb6 and let’s give St. Louis the leadership that it deserves. https://t.co/xPAvXb7LQi#MOPolitics #StLouis #Democrat #Congress pic.twitter.com/N5VDRDdRN7
— Maria Chappelle-Nadal (@Maria4Missouri) February 6, 2024
But Chappelle-Nadal isn’t just seeking to capitalize on Bush’s controversy. She also claims to have more legislative experience than both Bush and Bell combined. Nadal has served in the Missouri House and Senate, but her time in the spotlight has not been without its fair share of controversy.
Chappelle-Nadal is no stranger to making headlines for all the wrong reasons as well. In 2017, she called for the assassination of President Donald Trump on social media, an act that resulted in her being censured and expelled from the Missouri Senate. And in 2018, she made disparaging comments about Missouri Governor Mike Parson, causing her to lose her committee assignments.
It remains to be seen if Chappelle-Nadal’s questionable track record will hurt her chances in the Democratic primary. But one thing is certain: Bush now has two formidable opponents to contend with. And with her recent string of controversies and investigations, it’s safe to say that her once-strong grasp on her seat is now hanging by a thread.
While it’s unlikely that a conservative or Republican candidate will be able to make headway in MO-1 anytime soon, the Democratic primary is shaping up to be quite the spectacle. With two challengers attacking Bush from within her own party, her time in Congress may be limited. And with her latest comments about Israel attracting criticism from not only conservative groups but also members of her own party, her radical views are alienating even some of her most loyal supporters.
REPORT: Squad member Cori Bush is currently behind her democratic primary opponent by 22 points, according to a poll from Remington Research.
She’ll be facing Wesley Bell, a former Judge and public defender from Ferguson Missouri. It appears her far left politics and paying… pic.twitter.com/g5acENckPl
— 🇺🇸Travis🇺🇸 (@Travis_in_Flint) February 11, 2024
We can only imagine what other twists and turns await in this already chaotic race for Missouri’s First Congressional District. But one thing is for sure: this is one primary that Democrats across the country will be watching closely.
