While most voters complain about Congress, few incumbents get defeated in primary elections.
That’s why it was notable to see Democratic Party voters knock off two members of the progressive ‘Squad’ — both of whom had been high profile critics of Israel over the war in Gaza.
The latest to lose was U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Missouri. Back in late June, it was U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., who was ousted in a primary.
How those two Black lawmakers lost their reelection bids is what pains other ‘Squad’ members.
“Cori Bush’s race was the second most expensive primary in American history,” noted U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y “Jamaal Bowman’s race was the most expensive primary in American history.”
“Let’s be clear,” Bowman said about Bush’s defeat, “It was her courage to stand up for Palestinians and unprotected people everywhere that angered the powerful.”
In this case, the ‘powerful’ were groups supporting Israel, like AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which poured money into the races against Bush and Bowman.
“Being pro-Israel is good policy and good politics,” AIPAC gloated after Bush’s defeat.
But the story behind the primary losses of Bush and Bowman is also a story about how members of the Squad adapted to their roles in Congress.
Just look at Ocasio-Cortez. She has echoed some of the same public complaints about Israeli actions in Gaza — but isn’t close to being in any kind of electoral trouble.
That’s mainly because Ocasio-Cortez has transformed herself into more of a Democratic Party insider — witness her recent role in defending President Joe Biden from fellow Democrats — and by taking care of her constituents.
By contrast, Bush and Bowman appeared to many to be more focused on national politics and foreign affairs instead of the routine concerns of local residents.
The next Squad primary is on Aug. 13 for U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. Long a GOP target, Omar has a rematch with a Democrat who nearly defeated her in 2022, but she’s worked hard to make sure her race doesn’t have the same vibes as those of Bush and Bowman.
Here in Congress, several Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome, filed resolutions this year to censure Omar for what GOP lawmakers called her ‘slanderous comments’ and ‘treasonous statements.’
But GOP leaders never brought those measures up for a vote. It was more ‘show’ than anything else.
Two members of the Squad may have lost this summer but not all of them are in danger of getting booted from Congress. There is a broader lesson there for those willing to learn it.
Jamie Dupree has covered national politics and Congress from Washington, D.C. since the Reagan administration. His column appears weekly in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. For more, check out his Capitol Hill newsletter at http://jamiedupree.substack.com
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