Cori Bush’s ‘personal baggage’ shadows comeback bid
Cori Bush,a former Democratic Rep., is seeking to regain her seat from Rep. Wesley Bell in Missouri amid a more favorable political climate for her, including stronger support within teh Democratic party due to her socialist alignment and stance on Israel. However, her campaign is still overshadowed by financial controversies and personal baggage. Bush’s support for the Democratic Socialists of America and her vocal criticism of Israel played roles in her previous primary loss, which Bell won with backing from pro-Israel groups. Her campaign faces criticism over recent financial issues, including investigations into a nonprofit organization she launched following a tornado and questions about her use of campaign funds-specifically, payments to her husband for security services. Bush insists she is cooperating with investigations and maintains her innocence, though some opponents allege she has exploited tragedies for political gain. Despite the controversies, she remains a viable candidate, with some suggesting ideological factors and her recent stronger support base could influence the race.
Former Rep. Cori Bush is facing a much more favorable political environment this cycle as she looks to unseat Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO) on Tuesday, but the former House member’s financial controversies loom over her campaign.
Bush, who lost the seat to Bell in a bitter 2024 primary, is backed by the Democratic Socialists of America and has been a vocal critic of Israel. Bush’s stance on Israel was a large factor in her 2024 loss, with pro-Israel groups spending heavily in the race to support Bell’s bid to oust the “Squad” Democrat.
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This cycle, her DSA alignment and Israel stance are more popular within the Democratic Party and could play in her favor in the Democratic primary as socialist candidates have seen a string of wins across the country. But unlike the DSA newcomers who won in New York and Colorado, Bush has a political history that voters will have to weigh when they go to the ballot box.
“It’s a close race from what I can see,” Democratic strategist Brad Bannon told the Washington Examiner. ”But I think she’s trying to focus the race on Israel and AIPAC, and that’s probably the smart thing to do because she does have some personal baggage.”
Included in that “baggage” is the Democrat employing her husband as her security detail and a Justice Department investigation into Bush’s campaign spending on security services.
At the time, Bush said she was fully cooperating with the investigation and maintained she retained her husband as part of her security team because of his “extensive experience” in the area, and that he provided the services “at or below a fair market rate.”
Bush also said she did not use any federal taxpayer money to pay her husband, and that the money came out of her campaign funds. It is not illegal to pay family members with campaign money.
During a joint appearance with Bell on a local radio show on July 24, Bush was asked about the payments appearing “unseemly” by the host. In response, Bush said her husband has been found of no wrongdoing, and that he is “doing the work.”
“People around St. Louis know,” Bush said. “You see me. You see my husband. He is always at work. He doesn’t get a day off.”
Bannon said he doesn’t think voters have forgotten about the controversy, but that “the very fact that Donald Trump is president after everything he’s been through is a testimony that voters are willing to overlook personal things for ideological reasons.”
Questions over Bush’s financials have continued this cycle. Earlier this month, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway launched an investigation into an organization affiliated with Bush over allegations that donations for tornado relief were diverted to her political operation.
According to local Missouri outlet 5 On Your Side, the organization was launched in May 2025 after a tornado struck the St. Louis area, killing at least four people, with Bush’s political operation announcing it had “launched Politivist Power, a new 501(c)(4) organization uniting grassroots organizing with political strategy to fight oppression.”
Bush told the outlet she cannot speak to the organization as a candidate, claiming it is a political action committee.
When pressed on the nonprofit organization, Bush told the outlet, “I cannot speak to … I can speak to what I just did. That’s what I can speak to.”
The Washington Examiner has reached out to Bush’s campaign for comment.
Bush was pressed over the organization during the radio appearance by her opponent, with Bell alleging Bush has a “penchant for taking advantage of” tragedies.
“When the tornadoes hit, you opened a 501(c)(4), and under the guise that it was for tornado relief and tornado victims, then you took that money and put it into your PAC that you created for yourself, and then from there you paid you and your husband salaries,” Bell alleged.
“Where’s the money, Cori?” Bell later said. “Where’s the money?”
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Bush responded, “I would think that someone that was an actual prosecutor would know more about money, how PACs work, but no more about — this is pretty incredible. Actually, I’m really surprised by this.”
“A 501(c)(4) isn’t a PAC, Cori,” Bell said.
“PAC and a (c)(4), we had both,” Bush answered.
Bush has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
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