Five candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Missouri's 1st Congressional District on Aug. 4, 2026. Incumbent Rep. Wesley Bell (D) and Cori Bush (D) lead in noteworthy endorsements and fundraising.
As of June 2026, this primary is one of five in the 2026 election cycle in which a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives is running against an incumbent member. Bush represented Missouri's 1st Congressional District from 2019 to 2025. In 2024, Bell defeated Bush 51.1% to 45.6% in a field of four candidates.
During the 2024 primary, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's (AIPAC) affiliate, the United Democracy Project (UDP), spent $9.3 million either against Bush or in support of Bell. The Cook Political Report's Matthew Klein wrote that "As the Democratic electorate grows increasingly angry over the war in Gaza and AIPAC's meddling in primaries across the country, Bush is counting on an anti-Israel backlash to put her over the top." According to Politico's Cheyanne M. Daniels, the organization has not spent in this year's primary, but they did endorse Bell.
