As the 2026 midterm elections loom, the Democratic Party is grappling with plummeting poll numbers and an internal struggle that seems to be spiraling out of control.
The party's relentless pursuit of power and its unyielding animosity towards President Donald Trump have been the driving forces behind its actions since the 2024 presidential election. However, the party's refusal to engage in any form of introspection or reflection on its current state may be leading it towards yet another problem.
The Democrats may soon discover that they have a member who, despite being rejected by voters, refuses to step aside.
According to RedState, former Representative Cori Bush has announced her intention to run for her old seat in Congress. Bush, who first won her seat in 2020 by defeating long-standing incumbent Lacy Clay, was reelected in 2022.
However, she was ousted by current Congressman Wesley Bell in the 2024 primary. As rumors swirled about her potential 2026 run, Bell's spokesman, Jordan Blase, criticized Bush, stating that she had been "fired" by voters.
Bell himself echoed this sentiment on social media, reminding the public that "Missouri voters already rendered their verdict when they voted her out of office last year and chose to move on."
Political analysts have offered their perspectives on Bush's chances of reclaiming her seat. Ken Warren, a political science professor at St. Louis University, believes that Bush faces "an uphill battle," stating, "Bell is now the incumbent. Its going to be tougher to beat him. However, Bush's potential return is just one facet of the Democratic Party's impending issues.
Bush first gained prominence during the 2014 unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, following the death of Michael Brown. She became a vocal advocate for the Black Lives Matter movement and eventually made her way to Washington, D.C., where she aligned herself with "the squad," a group of radical progressive Democrats.
Her advocacy for defunding the police and her proposal for $14 trillion in reparations for black Americans have marked her as a controversial figure.
Bush's personal life has also been marred by legal issues. Her husband, Cortney Merritts III, was indicted in federal court earlier this year, accused of filing fraudulent applications with the Small Business Administration in 2020 and 2021, which allowed him to collect over $20,000 in COVID relief funds.
However, Bush's most significant misstep occurred following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel. She, along with her squad colleagues, condemned Israel's military response and used the term "ethnic cleansing."
This statement was particularly ill-advised given the substantial Jewish population in her district. Wesley Bell subsequently received approximately $10 million from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). In her concession speech on election night, Bush targeted AIPAC, declaring, Im coming to tear your kingdom down.
The Democratic Party now faces a difficult question. With their poll numbers hovering around 33 percent and numerous government agencies blaming them for the government shutdown, can they afford to welcome back a figure as divisive as Cori Bush?
Her former squad colleagues may be eager to have her back, but her return could further alienate voters from the Democratic Party. Bush seems to have forgotten that she has a record, and voters may have long memories.
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