What to Watch in Missouri’s Primaries as Cori Bush Tries to Beat Wesley Bell

Missouri voters will decide a consequential slate of primary contests and constitutional ballot measures on Tuesday. The results could not only reshape the state’s tax structure and its process for amending its constitution, but also serve as a litmus test for the national Democratic Party’s ideological divide. Here’s what to watch. A House primary features a rematch between a ‘squad’ member and a moderate. The marquee primary on Tuesday is a fiery rematch in Missouri’s First Congressional District, where Representative Wesley Bell, a moderate first-term Democrat, faces off against former Representative Cori Bush, a progressive member of the Democratic Socialists of America. In 2024, Mr. Bell — a former prosecutor and member of the Ferguson, Mo., City Council — ousted Ms. Bush, a former Black Lives Matter organizer who was part of a progressive group of congresswomen known as “the squad.” Two years later, Ms. Bush, who represented the St. Louis area for two terms, is attempting a comeback in a race that highlights the rift between the Democratic Party’s moderate and progressive wings. Mr. Bell has maintained a distinct fund-raising advantage, and holds key endorsements from House Democratic leadership, including Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the minority leader, and the Congressional Black Caucus PAC. Ms. Bush has the backing of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and the Democratic Socialists of America. Ms. Bush has anchored her campaign on vocal opposition to the war in Gaza and criticism of pro-Israel groups, betting that Democrats have further soured on Israel since she was voted out in 2024. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.