The group of progressive lawmakers known as the Squad will see its numbers shrink next year after two members lost their primary elections. This comes after significant spending by special interest groups.
Reps. Cori Bush from Missouri and Jamaal Bowman from New York, both members of the Squad, lost their primary races this summer. This marked a significant setback for the progressive faction, which has gained influence within the Democratic Party since 2018.
The Squad, which includes Black and brown lawmakers like Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Summer Lee, became a target for pro-Israel political action committees (PACs) after members criticized Israel’s response to the October 7 Hamas attack. PACs like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and its super PAC, United Democracy Project, spent nearly $25 million combined to defeat Bush and Bowman.
However, other factors contributed to their losses, raising questions about whether voters were rejecting their progressive views or other issues.
Another Squad member, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, won her primary against a previous challenger despite having similar views on Israel and being a vocal critic.
Breakdown of the Races
Jamaal Bowman – New York’s 16th District
Bowman faced challenges due to redistricting, which reduced the number of Black voters in his district and added more suburban areas of Westchester County. He also faced a strong opponent in George Latimer, a centrist with deep political ties in the area and strong support from Jewish leaders unhappy with Bowman’s stance on Israel. AIPAC’s super PAC invested about $15 million in the race to support Latimer.
Bowman’s position on Israel became a central issue, with Latimer arguing that Bowman was more focused on international issues than local needs. Bowman also faced criticism for triggering a fire alarm in a House building, which led to negative coverage and a censure from the House.
Cori Bush – Missouri’s 1st District
In her race against St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, Bush was criticized not for her stance on Israel, but for her vote against a bipartisan infrastructure bill in 2021. United Democracy Project spent over $8.4 million against Bush, airing ads that highlighted her vote against the bill, which was popular among many Democrats.
Bush’s vote against the infrastructure bill became a key issue in her campaign, although her allies argued that the campaign to defeat her was heavily influenced by outside groups like UDP, which spent over $400,000 on ads against her.
Bush also faced personal and public scandals, including an ongoing Justice Department investigation into her campaign spending.
Ilhan Omar – Minnesota’s 5th District
Unlike Bush and Bowman, Omar managed to win her primary by a significant margin. Omar had previously defeated her challenger, former Minneapolis city councilman Don Samuels, in 2022 by a narrow margin. This time, she took the threat more seriously, raising about $6.2 million for her campaign compared to Samuels’ $1.4 million.
Omar’s substantial fundraising advantage, along with endorsements from Minnesota’s Democratic Party and progressive leaders like Sen. Bernie Sanders, helped her secure victory. Despite threats, groups like AIPAC did not get involved in her race.
Omar won by nearly 14 points, showing the importance of strong fundraising and ground game in political races.