Cori Bush Announces 2026 Comeback Run for Congress

Former Missouri congresswoman Cori Bush isn’t done fighting for St. Louis. The activist-turned-lawmaker announced Friday that she’s running once again for Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, hoping to reclaim the seat she lost in 2024.

“I ran for Congress because I know what it feels like to be a working-class St. Louisan — too often unseen, unheard, and left out,” Bush said in her new campaign video. “I promised to fight for St. Louis, and we delivered.”

Bush served in the U.S. House from 2021 to 2025 and was part of the progressive “Squad,” alongside Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar. She lost her Democratic primary last year to Wesley Bell, the St. Louis County prosecutor, after facing criticism and well-funded opposition over her stance on Israel and U.S. foreign aid.

Following the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel, Bush called for an end to “U.S. government support for Israeli military occupation and apartheid,” a position that sparked backlash among some donors and party leaders.

In her latest announcement, Bush stood firm, saying,

“Because I spoke truth, they pushed back. They attacked my name, my motives, spread lies and hate. 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.”

Bell responded on X, saying voters already made their choice last election. “When it came time to deliver, Cori Bush’s focus wasn’t on our community, but on her own national agenda,” he wrote. “That’s why our district was left behind.”

St. Louis deserves real results and honest representation, not more headlines or scandals.

When it came time to deliver, Cori Bush’s focus wasn’t on our community, but on her own national agenda. That’s why our district was left behind.

During her time in Congress, Cori:…

— Wesley Bell for Congress (@bell4mo) October 3, 2025

Bush’s campaign will test whether her progressive platform and grassroots base can make a comeback in a district that’s still divided — and watching closely.