Bigger than big money seems to have been set aside to defeat U.S. Rep. Cori Bush and several of her progressive colleagues in the August 2024 Democratic primaries.
According to Slate, a liberal online magazine, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee has created a multi-million war chest — nine digits worth — to fund primary opponents of Bush, a ºüÀêÊÓƵ Democrat, and other like-minded legislators.
In an , Slate reported:
“Close watchers now expect AIPAC to spend at least $100 million in Democratic primaries, largely trained on eliminating incumbent Squad members from their seats,â€Â the article states.
NEW: Sources say AIPAC is gearing up to spend over *$100 MILLION* as part of a campaign to knock the Squad out of congress in 2024. Cori Bush, Ilhan Omar, Jamaal Bowman, Summer Lee, and Rashida Tlaib are all marked for high dollar challenges.
— Alex Sammon (@alex_sammon)
Last week,  that two other members of “The Squad†— U.S. Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y. — are in line to face primary challenges. The Slate article adds U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pennsylvania, to the challenged list.
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A powerful and well-funded lobbying group, AIPAC has been a consistent critic of Bush, who has in the past voted against extending defense aid to Israel. She has also opposed other measures considered to be pro-Israeli.
The influx of major AIPAC-related funding comes at a bad time for Bush, whose most recent federal campaign report shows that her campaign has an outstanding debt of almost $130,000, and less than $20,000 in cash-on-hand.
Responding to reports about AIPACs plan, Bush on X accused the group of “attempting to buy blue seats with GOP donor money.â€
She also asserted it was targeting “Black and brown members of Congress for supporting a ceasefire, a position supported by 80% of our party’s voters.â€
$100 million targeting Black and brown members of Congress for supporting a ceasefire, a position supported by 80% of our party’s voters.
— Cori Bush (@CoriBush)
AIPAC is attempting to buy blue seats with GOP donor money.
Bush’s latest stance against Israel — in connection with Hamas’ surprise attack Oct. 7 that killed 1,400 Israelis — already has produced one primary challenge against her, from ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell.
Political observers also say state Sen. Brian Williams, D-University City, is considering entering the race as well.
The Slate article made special mention of some Democratic leaders remaining silent on the AIPAC challenge:
U.S. House “Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries ... hasn’t tried to dissuade the primarying of these progressive Democratic incumbents,†the Slate article said, then added that AIPAC was a large contributor to Jeffries’ 2022 campaign.