“AIPAC may have won this election, but it is weak and losing the long term battle for public opinion.”
St. Louis, MO — Jewish Voice for Peace Action is devastated by Congresswoman Cori Bush’s loss to Wesley Bell in the Democratic primary for Missouri’s first Congressional district and recommits to the fight to build true progressive power in Congress. Congresswoman Bush has championed a progressive vision that serves the everyday needs of her constituents. This loss for the people of St. Louis was facilitated by over $9 million from the far-right extremist Super PAC of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
The obscene spending from AIPAC and other Super PACs is a sign of weakness. Outside spenders blanketed the airwaves and launched a smear campaign in what became the second most expensive Congressional primary in U.S. history. These groups spent over $14 million because they had no other choice. This race was not a referendum on Congresswoman Bush’s positions on Palestine – support for Palestinian rights and freedom are actually quite popular. Instead, it was about a diverse, working-class, progressive movement going up against Republican megadonors and the right-wing interests that need to rely on massive amounts of money to hold onto their political power in DC.
Stefanie Fox, Executive Director of JVP Action: “AIPAC may have won this election, but it is weak and losing the long term battle for public opinion. Cori Bush and the progressive policies she stands for – including support for Palestinian freedom – are popular. The rightwing extremists in AIPAC know that, so they had to spend millions to defeat her. We are honored to stand with Congresswoman Cori Bush, whose example inspires us to fight with heart, integrity, and courage. And like Cori, we won’t stop until we win a future of freedom, justice and equality for all, from St. Louis to Gaza.”
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