Another Green New Deal backer in danger of losing primary

By Timothy Cama | 08/05/2024 01:58 PM EDT

Missouri Rep. Cori Bush is trailing in the polls and hoping to avoid the fate of progressive incumbent Jamaal Bowman, who lost his New York primary in June.

Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.).

Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) at a House hearing in March. She is battling to save her seat in a primary race. Jacquelyn Martin/AP

In Missouri, a progressive Green New Deal supporter is in jeopardy of losing her reelection bid this week, which would be the second similar loss for a Democrat this year.

Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), who has backed environmental justice legislation and is the top Democrat on a House subcommittee focused on energy policy, is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Wesley Bell, the head prosecutor for St. Louis County. Bell has been leading Bush in recent polls.

The winner of Tuesday’s primary is nearly guaranteed a win in the November general election, due to the heavily Democratic makeup of the district. The candidates have not participated in a debate.

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The race in Missouri’s 1st District, which includes St. Louis and much of St. Louis County, has many parallels to New York’s 16th District, where incumbent Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D) lost in a June primary to George Latimer.

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