Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., has faced a barrage of advertising from AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying group, ahead of her tough primary.
AIPAC has donated $8 million to Bush's opponent in the Democrat primary, St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell, as Bush has been highly critical of Israel, calling it an "apartheid state" after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
In addition to focusing on her anti-Israel rhetoric, advertising has lately focused on Bush, a member of "the Squad," missing votes in Congress and voting against President Joe Biden's agenda, including his $1 trillion "Build Back Better" infrastructure bill. The ads have labeled Bush as ineffective and forced her to explain her vote at campaign stops, Politico reported.
Bush has accused Bell of trying to buy the election with AIPAC's money. In June, George Latimer easily defeated Bush's fellow Squad member, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, in a New York primary, after millions were spent in ads from AIPAC.
"St. Louis is a very different district than NY-16," Bush said to Politico. "St. Louis has a plurality of Black voters in this district and is incredibly diverse and progressive. It is also younger and less affluent, with a much smaller Jewish population."
United Democracy Project, AIPAC's campaign arm, said they have adjusted their message for St. Louis.
"Clearly the kind of kitchen-table economic issues are a bigger deal in St. Louis," said Patrick Dorton, a United Democracy Project spokesperson to Politico. "New York is just different. [In] New York, it was less about economics and more about social issues."
Bell has accused Bush of being a divisive lawmaker and said Missouri's 1st Congressional District deserves better representation, noting she has missed 187 votes, Politico reported. Polling has been sparse, but Bell appears to be a few points ahead.
Justice Democrats, which has supported Squad members like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., has run $150,000 in ads supporting Bush, Politico reported.