Cori Bush

Cori Bush
Born	Cori Anika Bush 21 7, 1976
Birthplace	St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, nurse, pastor, activist
Known for	First African-American woman to represent Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives; member of "the Squad"
Education	Lutheran School of Nursing (DipN) Harris-Stowe State University
Children	2

Cori Anika Bush (born July 21, 1976) is an American politician, registered nurse, pastor, and activist from St. Louis, Missouri, who served as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 1st congressional district from January 3, 2021, to January 3, 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, Bush rose to national prominence through her activism during the Ferguson protests following the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown and her subsequent campaigns for elected office. In 2020, she defeated ten-term incumbent Lacy Clay in the Democratic primary for Missouri's 1st congressional district, a result widely covered as a significant upset in American politics. Bush became the first African-American woman to represent Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives. During her two terms in Congress, she was a member of the progressive group known as "the Squad." In August 2024, she lost the Democratic primary to Wesley Bell, and in October 2025, she announced a campaign to reclaim the seat.

Early Life

Cori Anika Bush was born on July 21, 1976, in St. Louis, Missouri. She grew up in the St. Louis metropolitan area and became involved in community and faith-based work from a young age. Bush has described experiences of poverty, homelessness, and domestic violence during periods of her life, which she has cited as formative influences on her entry into activism and public service.

Bush became a pastor and was active in faith communities in the St. Louis region. She was identified as a pastor drawn into the Missouri protest movement, delivering a keynote address at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event in January 2016. Her involvement in the protest movement in Ferguson, Missouri, following the August 2014 police shooting of Michael Brown, marked a turning point in her public life. Bush served as a triage nurse and organizer during the Ferguson protests and became one of the prominent local voices in the Black Lives Matter movement.

Her experiences during the Ferguson unrest—including exposure to tear gas—propelled her toward electoral politics. Bush has spoken publicly about how the events in Ferguson underscored what she viewed as systemic failures in political representation for communities in the St. Louis area, motivating her to seek office herself.

Education

Bush received a nursing diploma from Lutheran School of Nursing and attended Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis. Her nursing education informed her professional career as a registered nurse and triage nurse, roles she held before and during her transition into full-time activism and politics.

Career

Activism and Early Political Campaigns

Bush's entry into electoral politics followed directly from her activism in the Ferguson protest movement. In 2016, she ran in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate seat in Missouri. She did not advance past the primary election.

In 2018, Bush mounted her first campaign for Missouri's 1st congressional district, challenging the longtime incumbent William Lacy Clay Jr., who had held the seat since 2001 and whose father, Bill Clay, had represented the district before him starting in 1969. The Clay family had held the seat for nearly half a century. Bush's 2018 campaign attracted attention in part because of comparisons to the upset victory of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over incumbent Joe Crowley in New York's 14th congressional district that same year. The Riverfront Times noted that Bush's campaign was "bolstered by Ocasio-Cortez upset." Bush was also endorsed by Brand New Congress, an organization that had supported Ocasio-Cortez.

Despite national interest, Bush lost the 2018 primary to Clay. St. Louis Public Radio examined the race under the question of whether Bush could "end Lacy Clay's flawless streak at the ballot box." The Intercept also covered the 2018 race closely.

Bush's 2018 campaign, along with those of Ocasio-Cortez, Amy Vilela, and Paula Jean Swearengin, was the subject of the 2019 Netflix documentary Knock Down the House. The film, directed by Rachel Lears, followed four progressive women challenging incumbent members of Congress in the 2018 primary elections. The documentary brought Bush's story and activism to a national and international audience.

Knock Down the House and Renewed Campaign

Following the release of Knock Down the House in 2019, Bush continued organizing and announced in November 2019 that she would again challenge Clay in the 2020 Democratic primary for Missouri's 1st congressional district. In an interview with Rewire News Group, Bush explained her motivation: "People are hurting," she said, emphasizing the need for more responsive representation on issues including healthcare, housing, and criminal justice reform.

The 2020 primary campaign took shape against the backdrop of national events including the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide protests following the killing of George Floyd in May 2020, which amplified public attention to the issues of racial justice and policing that had been central to Bush's political identity since the Ferguson protests. Bush received endorsements from progressive figures and organizations, including Jamaal Bowman, who was himself running a primary challenge against an incumbent in New York. CNN reported on Bowman's endorsement of Bush in July 2020.

2020 Primary Victory

On August 4, 2020, Bush defeated Lacy Clay in the Democratic primary for Missouri's 1st congressional district. The result ended the Clay family's more than 50-year hold on the seat. The New York Times reported on the outcome as a notable upset, with Bush, a first-time officeholder, defeating a ten-term incumbent. CNN described the victory as a significant moment for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. USA Today covered the race with the headline that a "Ferguson activist upsets Rep. William Lacy Clay."

The American Prospect profiled Bush during the campaign, noting her trajectory from nurse and pastor to protest leader to congressional candidate. Because Missouri's 1st congressional district is solidly Democratic, Bush's primary victory was tantamount to election. She won the November 2020 general election and took office on January 3, 2021, becoming the first African-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri.

Congressional Tenure (2021–2025)

Bush served two terms in Congress, representing a district that encompassed all of the city of St. Louis and most of northern St. Louis County. During her tenure, she was identified as a member of "the Squad," a group of progressive Democratic members of Congress that included Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Bowman, among others. The group was known for advocating progressive policies on issues including healthcare, climate change, housing, criminal justice reform, and U.S. foreign policy.

Bush was a vocal advocate on issues relating to housing and eviction policy. During the summer of 2021, she drew national attention for sleeping on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building to protest the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her protest was credited with contributing to pressure on the Biden administration to extend the moratorium.

Bush also took public positions on U.S. foreign policy, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Her stance on the Gaza war became a significant factor in her 2024 primary race.

Bush's congressional campaigns were documented in Federal Election Commission records.

2024 Primary Defeat

In the August 2024 Democratic primary, Bush was challenged by Wesley Bell, the St. Louis County prosecuting attorney. The race received significant national attention, with Bell winning 51.1% of the vote to Bush's 45.6%. Pro-Israel lobbying groups in the United States, including the AIPAC-affiliated United Democracy Project, spent substantial sums in the race, which was widely covered in the context of Bush's positions on the Gaza war and her criticism of U.S. military aid to Israel. The race was described as having "received outsize attention" relative to a typical congressional primary.

Bush left office on January 3, 2025, and was succeeded by Wesley Bell.

2026 Comeback Campaign

On October 3, 2025, Bush announced that she would seek to reclaim Missouri's 1st congressional district seat, launching a rematch against the incumbent Bell. Politico reported on the announcement, noting that Bush was "making a play for her old St. Louis seat in Congress" a year after losing it. STLPR reported that Bush framed her campaign around the argument that "St. Louis needs a fighter." Axios also covered the announcement, noting that the 2024 primary had been "one of the most hotly contested primary elections" of that cycle.

Bush's 2026 campaign received endorsements from Justice Democrats and National Nurses United. The rematch between Bell and Bush was further stirred by political developments, with Spectrum News reporting that a months-old congressional vote on a resolution had "emerged as fodder" in the contest.

Personal Life

Bush is a registered nurse and ordained pastor. She has two children. She has spoken publicly about her experiences with poverty, homelessness, and domestic violence, and has cited these experiences as central to her political motivation and policy priorities.

In January 2026, STLPR reported that Bush's husband had avoided a conviction on charges related to pandemic-era loan fraud.

Bush has been associated with faith-based community work throughout her career. She was identified as a pastor involved in Missouri protest movements as early as 2016.

Recognition

Bush's 2020 primary victory over Lacy Clay was covered as a major political event by national outlets including The New York Times, CNN, USA Today, and The American Prospect. She was the first African-American woman elected to represent Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The 2019 Netflix documentary Knock Down the House, which featured Bush's 2018 primary campaign alongside the campaigns of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others, brought her story to a broad audience. The film received critical attention and was widely streamed, introducing Bush to viewers unfamiliar with the Ferguson protest movement and the progressive primary challenges of that era.

Bush received endorsements from numerous progressive organizations over the course of her political career, including Brand New Congress, Justice Democrats, and National Nurses United. Her list of endorsements was maintained on her official campaign website.

Legacy

Bush's political career is notable for several reasons within the context of contemporary American politics. Her defeat of Lacy Clay in 2020 ended a political dynasty that had controlled Missouri's 1st congressional district for over 50 years, making it one of the most symbolically significant primary upsets of recent decades. As the first African-American woman to represent Missouri in the U.S. House, Bush's election marked a historic milestone for the state.

Her path from community nurse and protest organizer to member of Congress was emblematic of a broader trend in American politics during the late 2010s, in which activist movements—particularly those emerging from the Ferguson protests and the broader Black Lives Matter movement—translated into electoral campaigns. The documentary Knock Down the House captured this trajectory and placed Bush within a cohort of progressive challengers who sought to reshape the Democratic Party from within.

Bush's 2024 primary defeat, and the role of outside spending by pro-Israel lobbying groups in that race, became part of a national debate about the influence of special interest money in Democratic primary elections and the party's internal divisions over U.S. policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Her subsequent 2026 comeback bid positioned her as a test case for whether progressive candidates who lost under those circumstances could rebuild support and return to office.

Whether Bush succeeds in her 2026 campaign or not, her trajectory—from the streets of Ferguson to the halls of Congress and back to the campaign trail—reflects the intersection of grassroots activism, progressive movement politics, and the evolving dynamics of the Democratic Party in the 21st century.