Cori Bush, a Democratic representative from Missouri, has expressed her willingness to consider another political campaign in the future. For now, the two-term congresswoman plans to continue her advocacy on the issues that have motivated her long before her tenure in Congress began.
In a recent interview with Politico Magazine, Bush stated, “The possibilities are endless. All I know right now is that I am not going anywhere. I’m going to keep fighting for the issues that I fought for before I ever entered Congress, and since I’ve been in Congress.”
When asked about the potential for running for office again, she affirmed, “Running for office again is not off the table at all. I did not expect to only be in Congress for four years, and so I do believe at some point I will run again, whether it’s for Congress or something else, I don’t know.”
Bush emphasized that while she does not have immediate plans, her commitment to organizing and advocating for the same issues, and even expanding her focus, remains strong. “What I will do, though, is I will organize and I will work on the same issues and more that I started with before I ever made it to Congress,” she added.
As the representative of Missouri’s 1st Congressional District, Bush faced defeat in her bid for a third term. She lost the primary election to St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell in early August.
The race was characterized by spending from external groups, particularly from pro-Israel organizations opposing Bush due to her criticism of Israel’s actions against Hamas.
Bush’s defeat represents a worry for the progressive “squad” in Congress, which also witnessed Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) losing to Westchester County Executive George Latimer (D) in late June.
Both Bush and Bowman joined the “squad” after securing victories in the 2020 House elections. Their recent primary defeats have diminished the group’s representation. Nevertheless, Bush remains optimistic about the efforts of the remaining “squad” members, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), asserting that they will continue to advocate for those most in need.
“The squad will keep fighting. First of all, the squad is big. And I know we want to make the squad just out to be a few people, but we don’t do this work by ourselves,” Bush stated, highlighting the collective strength of the group.
She acknowledged, “The numbers will be lower for the 119th Congress, but they will keep fighting for people who have the greatest need. They’re not going to change their priorities and what they believe.
The number of people in Congress on the team will just be smaller. But they’ve never been silent. Anyone who underestimates our power is severely mistaken, because we aren’t going anywhere, and I will always be squad. I’m not going far.”
