Missouri US Representative Cori Bush lost her primary challenge on Tuesday, August 6, in a stunning upset that makes her the second member of the so-called “squad” of progressives to be ousted by a competitor from a more moderate position. With 95% of the vote counted, St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell took 51% of the vote, a clear five points ahead of Bush. Most notably, it was the matter of Israel that ostensibly sunk her campaign, which could signify an issue for the Harris/Walz ticket this November.
The Squad Stance
In late June, fellow Squad member Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) suffered an ousting at the hands of pro-Israel Democrat George Latimer. It was Bowman’s stance on the events of October 7 and his subsequent obfuscation on blame and responsibility that caused a grand coalition of his party to back the challenger. And the same appears to be true for Ms. Bush.
“Israel’s collective punishment against Palestinians for Hamas’ actions is a war crime,” she stated just days after the deadly attack. It was these words and her subsequent stance that brought the ire of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) lobbying group and its funding arm, the United Democracy Project. The outfit piled an estimated $8.5 million into the race – although the conflict was not the sole focal point of the anti-Bush campaign.
It appears that it is not just voters who are animated by the rhetoric regarding the ongoing military action against Hamas. As The Times of Israel noted, “The bids to unseat Bush and Bowman were unusual in that they were also endorsed by the Jewish Democratic Council of America, a partisan group that rarely takes sides in primaries.”
So, the Democratic Party hierarchy, funding groups, policy committees, and, of course, a significant swath of voters all appear divided over the correct political posture regarding the war in Israel: a lesson that could be crucial in light of Vice President Kamala Harris’ recent choice of running mate.
Lessons for Kamala
Picking Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to join her 2024 ticket raised eyebrows among the chattering classes in the media – and notably – cheers from the Trump Campaign team. It was not entirely the Walz decision that caused consternation but rather why Harris would not opt for Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. As Liberty Nation News’ Senior Political Analyst Tim Donner astutely observed:
“Evidently fearful that Shapiro being Jewish, pro-Israel, pro-fracking, and pro-school choice would cost her too much support among her progressive faithful, Vice President Harris doubled down on her far-left image by selecting a progressive who has supported many of the radical policies Harris championed in 2020 but has since renounced.”
As Harris and Walz took to the stage in Philadelphia, PA, Governor Shapiro offered his support for the ticket, but not without a veiled swipe. “I am proud of my faith . . . I lean on my family, and I lean on my faith, which calls me to serve,” he said. Reading between the lines, it seems that Mr. Shapiro feels it was his Jewish faith that kept him from the coveted position. It is worth noting that Democrat-aligned activist groups worked to keep him from earning the nod in a vitriolic campaign that dubbed him “Genocide Josh” for his support of Israel.
It appears that the Harris campaign has been working out the electoral sums: Will having a Jewish man at the top of the ticket alienate the millions of Muslim and Arab Americans who normally vote Democrat? And further, will dropping Shapiro out of contention cost her the margin needed in the must-win swing state?
Primary Causes
During President Biden’s primary campaign, a demographic warning shot was fired across his re-election bow. In Michigan, an effort backed by fellow Squad member Rashida Tlaib sought to give Biden pause in his support for Israel as a US ally by mustering an “uncommitted” movement that ultimately saw more than 13% – over one hundred thousand – Michiganders withhold their endorsement. A similar “write-in” effort took place in Pennsylvania, which accrued over 60,000 ballots.
Biden won Pennsylvania in 2020 by just 80,000 votes and Michigan by a little over 150,000. To say that these uncommitted protest voters could make a difference in 2024 is a huge understatement. And this applies equally so now that Kamala Harris is top of the ticket.
The far-left Squad radicals are in a weaker position today than they were last year, with their numbers cut by at least 40% going into the next Congress. The ousting of Bowman and Bush for their stances on Israel and the Palestinian cause could prove to be the early symptoms of a Democratic Party disease that weakens the Harris campaign, and it is a malady that may have been supercharged by her decision to choose Minnesota’s Walz over Pennsylvania’s Shapiro.
