Representative Cori Bush (D., Mo.), the progressive “Squad” member who recently stopped short of calling Hamas a terrorist organization, lost a competitive House primary bid Tuesday night against St. Louis County prosecuting attorney Wesley Bell, who positioned himself as a pro-Israel alternative during the race.

The Associated Press called Bell’s primary victory at 11 p.m. EDT. He will now vie for Bush’s place in the House come November, facing the winner of Tuesday’s GOP primary in a district that President Joe Biden won by more than 60 points in 2020.

Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) lost her Democratic primary on Tuesday, shrinking the ranks of the House’s left-wing “Squad” and delivering another major victory to the pro-Israel and business-friendly groups that backed her challenger.

Wesley Bell, the St. Louis County prosecutor, defeated Bush. Since Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, which includes all of St. Louis and many of its northern and western suburbs, is overwhelmingly Democratic, Bell is all but assured of a seat in Congress come November.

Democratic congresswoman and "Squad" member Cori Bush has lost her primary race in Missouri, according to US media projections.

Wesley Bell, a St Louis prosecutor, will instead be the party's candidate in the state's first congressional district this November.

Ms Bush came to prominence as an organiser in the Black Lives Matter movement and, after taking office in 2021, as one of the "Squad" of Democratic members of the House known for supporting progressive causes.

Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., suffered a bruising defeat in her St. Louis district on Tuesday night, becoming the second member of the progressive group of House lawmakers known as “the Squad” to lose a Democratic primary to a more moderate opponent this year.

Progressives suffered a major blow in Tuesday night’s primaries as Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) became the second “squad” member to lose to a challenger this cycle. 

Coming just hours after Vice President Harris announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate in a move seen as a win for the progressive wing of the party, Bush’s loss put internal party frictions over the Israel-Hamas war on full display.

Voters in Missouri’s 1st Congressional District will head to the polls Tuesday as Rep. Cori Bush fights to hold on to her seat in the Democratic primary against St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell, who is backed by a powerful pro-Israel lobbying group. The race between two liberal Black candidates in this district gets to the heart of a fissure within the Democratic Party over the United States’ unwavering support of Israel’s military operation in Gaza.

Only two House lawmakers on Wednesday voted against a measure seeking to ban Hamas terrorists involved in last October’s attack on Israel from ever entering the US –  Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.).

Representative Cori Bush is reportedly facing a Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation related to alleged misuse of funds.

"THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT is conducting a criminal probe into @CoriBush," Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman posted on X, formerly Twitter. He cited six anonymous sources "familiar with the investigation."

The New York Times also reported that Bush, a Missouri Democrat, is under investigation, also citing anonymous sources.

Bush responded to the investigation in a statement Tuesday afternoon.