Cori Bush aims for comeback after losing seat in Congress over Gaza

“St. Louis deserves leadership that doesn’t wait for permission, doesn’t answer to wealthy donors, and doesn’t hide when things get tough,” said the progressive former congresswoman.

After devastatingly losing her congressional seat in Missouri, former U.S. Rep. Cori Bush said on Friday that she is aiming for a comeback in the 2026 midterm election.

“I ran for Congress to change things for regular people. I’m running again, because St. Louis deserves leadership that doesn’t wait for permission, doesn’t answer to wealthy donors, and doesn’t hide when things get tough,” Bush says in a video announcing her re-election campaign for Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, which is currently held by Congressman Wesley Bell.

Bush lost to Bell, a former St. Louis County prosecutor, in the 2024 Democratic primary election, largely because the pro-Israel group AIPAC spent a statewide record $8.5 million to back Bell. Bush was targeted for her criticisms of Israel and its deadly war in Gaza, which has, to date, killed more than 66,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

“But because I spoke truth, they pushed back. Attacked my name, my motives spread lies and hate,” Bush said in her campaign video.

St. Louis deserves a leader who is built different. That’s why I’m running to represent Missouri’s 1st District in Congress.

We need a fighter who will lower costs, protect our communities, and make life fairer. I’ll be that fighter.

Join us: https://t.co/9T0EkpWvIL pic.twitter.com/TzONoSX5FC— Cori Bush (@CoriBush) October 3, 2025

Taking aim at the Trump administration, Bush said, “All across America, we see our rights rolled back, our history being rewritten, our lives on the line.” She added, “The stakes for our community here have never been higher. I’m running because our district deserves someone 10 toes down for our families, for our wallets, for our safety, for our democracy, and for our bright future.”

As a member of Congress, Bush, an ordained minister and Black Lives Matter activist who endured homelessness, was a powerful progressive voice in the Democratic Party. During her two terms in office, she introduced racial justice legislation like the Reparations Now Act, Unhoused Bill of Rights, Drug Policy Reform Act, and People’s Response Act.

Bush notably slept on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in protest, urging Congress to extend a moratorium on evictions during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bush was one of two progressive members of the so-called “Squad,” a coalition comprised of members like Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to lose their seats in primary contests due to their criticisms of Israel. The other was former Congressman Jamaal Bowman of New York.

After her loss to Bell in August of 2024, Bush aimed at AIPAC during a speech at her campaign headquarters.

“Pulling me away from my position as congresswoman, all you did was take some of the strings off…all they did was radicalize me,” said Bush. “AIPAC, I’m coming to tear your kingdom down!”