Rep. Cori Bush, the St. Louis Democrat who is leaving the House after losing a closely watched primary, delivered her final speech on the floor Thursday. She reflected on her accomplishments, stated that the November elections sent a message to her party, and hinted her congressional career might not be over.
Bush, a product of the Ferguson protest movement, gained prominence by defeating incumbent Rep. Lacy Clay in 2020. She easily won re-election in 2022 in her Democratic-leaning district. In her speech, Bush recalled her 2021 protest at the U.S. Capitol against the end of the eviction moratorium during the pandemic.
A vocal critic of Israeli policies on Gaza, Bush was defeated in the August primary by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, after voters grew weary of her far-left stance. Bush opposed the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, protesting the scaled-back “Build Back Better” agenda. She expressed disappointment that, had it passed, it would have delivered universal pre-K, affordable childcare, paid leave, and more.
Meanwhile, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, another far-left ‘Squad’ member, lost his reelection bid. In a separate vote, centrist Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia defeated Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York in the race for the House Oversight Committee ranking member. The New Democrat Coalition supported Connolly’s leadership.
