Democrat Cori Bush, the former U.S. representative for Missouri’s 1st congressional district for two terms, from 2021 to 2025, announced Friday, October 3rd, that she is again running for that same seat.
Bush originally won the seat in 2020 against Lacy Clay, a seven-term incumbent who held the position for two decades prior and is the son of the late William Lacy Clay Sr., who previously served Missouri’s First District for 32 years.
Cori Bush also earned her place in history as the first Black woman to serve as a representative at the federal level from Missouri.
She attracted press, praise, and judgment in equal measure after she joined the “Squad,” the unofficial group of progressive young House representatives that also includes Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
2022 saw her re-election against Senator Steve Roberts by over 30 percentage points in the Democratic primary.
Following a defeat in the primaries in the summer of 2024, Bush returns with a renewed fervor and a focus on the St. Louis community. Per her announcement video, “I ran for Congress to change things for regular people. I’m running again because St. Louis deserves leadership that doesn’t wait for permission, doesn’t answer to wealthy donors and doesn’t hide when things get tough.”
The video also contains statements that seem aimed at both the current Republican-majority-led Congress and those who oppose her criticism of Israel’s war in Gaza. “… because I spoke truth, they pushed back, attacked my name, motives, (and) spread lies and hate.”
Last year, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) donated millions to the campaign of Bush’s then-opponent, Wesley Bell, who in 2018 was the first Black prosecutor elected in St. Louis County’s history.
Cori Bush is well-known for her activism, with notable participation in the Black Lives Matter movement as she rose to prominence during the fallout following the killing of Michael Brown by police in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014. This incident inspired her to enter politics. She has also focused on representing lower-income and minority populations in her district and has spoken out on her belief in the importance of having freedom of choice in women’s healthcare.
Born on July 21, 1976, Cori Bush worked in nursing, education, and childcare before the start of her political career. In 2011, she founded the Kingdom Embassy International Church in St. Louis and served as its pastor until 2014.
Earlier this year, Bush co-hosted a show with former member of Congress Jamaal Bowman for Zeteo’s YouTube page, with topics ranging from President Donald Trump to racism in the United States.
Elections for the Missouri House of Representatives will take place in 2026, with the general election on November 3, 2026.
Sources: X, Politico, NBC News
