How a center-left Democrat flipped the script on a fiery progressive in one primary battle

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Amid a summer of trouble for other Democratic House members facing progressive challengers, Rep. Wesley Bell managed to defeat former Rep. Cori Bush in Missouri.

U.S. Rep. Wesley Bell speaks during a Democrat-led US House Oversight field hearing on the Epstein investigation in West Palm Beach, Florida, on May 12, 2026.

Rep. Wesley Bell, D-Mo., speaks during a Democratic-led House Oversight Committee field hearing West Palm Beach, Fla., in May. Chandan Khanna / AFP via Getty Images

Aug. 5, 2026, 12:32 PM EDT

By Sahil Kapur and Brennan Leach

ST. LOUIS — Rep. Wesley Bell’s 22-point victory against former Rep. Cori Bush in a rematch of 2024 defied the tides that have seen other progressive challengers dispatch Democratic incumbents in recent primaries.

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