‘Squad’ Dems to rally for Cori Bush as she fights for her political life
Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., is getting a boost from her allies in the House’s left-wing ‘Squad’ on Monday, as her anti-Israel comments have her fighting for her political life in this week’s primary elections.
‘We have just ONE DAY ahead of us before primary Election Day. Come join Cori & some very special guests on Election Day eve to rally together and get out the vote!’ Bush’s campaign wrote on Instagram announcing the event.
It’s a virtual rally to be held on Zoom at 5 p.m. Eastern Time alongside Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and Summer Lee, D-Pa.
Another notable guest is Hill Harper, an actor who is running in the Michigan Senate Democratic primary against Bush’s more moderate colleague, Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.
Bowman’s appearance comes after he lost his own primary re-election bid to a more moderate, pro-Israel Democrat, Westchester County Executive George Latimer.
Bush has been viewed as the second-most embattled Squad member after Bowman, with pro-Israel groups actively campaigning against both progressive leftists.
The two-term progressive Democrat is one of Congress’ harshest critics of Israel and its operation in Gaza. She has accused Israel’s government of waging a genocide on Palestinians and consistently voted against emergency funding for the Middle Eastern ally.
It has earned her opposition from within her own party, with the group Democratic Majority for Israel backing her opponent, Wesley Bell. He has also got the support of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a bipartisan pro-Israel lobbying group.
Tlaib, one of the Bush allies rallying for her Monday night, is Israel’s most outspoken critic in the House, having been censured over her verbal attacks against the Middle Eastern country. She also held up a sign accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being a ‘war criminal’ during his speech to Congress last month.
Bell, Bush’s opponent, is prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County. He’s leaned to the center with his campaign, contrasting with the Democratic incumbent’s progressive policies.
She and her allies have sought to paint him as a right-wing operator, however, citing his past volunteer work for anti-abortion conservative Mark J. Byrne.
Bush is also going into Tuesday with the backing of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and his top two deputies.
Bell was endorsed by the editorial board of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, one of the district’s largest newspapers, late last month.