St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell emerged victorious over U.S. Rep. Cori Bush in the Democratic primary for the 1st District Congressional seat on Tuesday night. This decisive win marked a significant moment in the political landscape shaped by the Ferguson protests a decade ago.
The Associated Press declared Bell the winner at 10 p.m., with him receiving 51% of the votes compared to Bush’s 46% and former state Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal garnering 3%.
“I am deeply honored and humbled by the trust the people of this district have placed in me,” Bell stated. “This victory belongs to every volunteer, every supporter, and every voter who believes in our vision for a better future.”
Bell’s victory comes after he made history in 2018 by unseating a long-standing incumbent to become St. Louis County’s first Black prosecutor. His triumph in the primary is seen as a win for political establishment figures who have been critical of Bush’s tenure.
Cori Bush initially lost her bid for Congress in 2018 but made a comeback two years later, defeating 10-term incumbent William Lacy Clay in the Democratic stronghold. She easily secured re-election in 2022, besting state Sen. Steve Roberts by over 30 percentage points in the Democratic primary. Throughout her congressional career, she has been an influential member of the progressive group known as “The Squad.”
However, her comments regarding the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th prompted Bell to enter the race. While she condemned the attack, she also called for an end to “Israeli military occupation and apartheid,” which drew backlash from key groups like the United Democracy Project. This organization, linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, flooded the airwaves with ads praising Bell and criticizing Bush.
Wesley Bell’s election as St. Louis County prosecutor was part of a broader national movement advocating for progressive reforms within the criminal justice system to combat racial disparities. Prior to his role as prosecutor, Bell worked as a public defender and served on the Ferguson City Council.
The 1st Congressional District encompasses all of the City of St. Louis, North St. Louis County, and parts of central areas, including Clayton and Webster Groves.