The war in Gaza is still impacting American politics. Cori Bush's loss makes that clear.
Protests have stopped, and social media posts have slowed, but there is still a conflict between Israel and Hamas playing out in Gaza.
The conflict has killed nearly 40,000 Palestinians.
The fighting has played a significant role in the U.S. presidential election, something that will likely continue through November as former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris continue campaigning.
But we've already seen how it's affecting the primaries.
Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., lost her primary election Tuesday to the more moderate Wesley Bell, St. Louis' prosecutor. While Bell campaigned against Bush by highlighting the investigations into her campaign finances, it’s hard to ignore the role pro-Israel groups had in shaping the narrative against Bush, an opponent of Israel's actions in Gaza.
Cori Bush's stance on Israel ultimately cost her
Bush, one of the more progressive members of the House of Representatives, was the first member of Congress to call for a cease-fire. For months, she has been outwardly critical of Israel. She boycotted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Congress, saying it would be celebrating a “war criminal.”
Because of her outspokenness on the issue, donations from pro-Israel groups against Bush made it the second-most expensive House primary race in U.S. history.
United for Democracy, a super PAC aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, spent more than $8 million against Bush.
She is the second member of the progressive lawmakers known as "the Squad" to lose a primary this year. In June, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., lost to George Latimer, his more moderate opponent.
Like Bush, Bowman has criticized Israel and called for a cease-fire. United for Democracy spent nearly $15 million in Bowman’s race. It's hard to ignore what that kind of spending can do to influence voters.
Explaining Gaza War: 'Will Palestine still exist when this war is over?' My answers to my children's questions.
Sign of pushback on progressives and Gaza
Despite these losses, there is still a faction of the United States that is unhappy with the conflict in Gaza and wants to limit U.S. involvement.
A Gallup poll from June found that nearly half of U.S. adults oppose Israel’s military action in the region.
Another poll from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs shows that the majority of Americans oppose sending U.S. troops to the region.
State of the economy: Panicked about plunging stock market? You can beat Wall Street by playing their own game.
Considering that the war and U.S. involvement in it is unpopular, it’s not surprising that members of Congress are voicing opposition. What’s surprising is how much money has been spent opposing officials who speak out.
I find it concerning that a group with ties to a foreign country can heavily influence our election – especially when so many Americans are concerned with the fighting and destruction they have seen since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. According to the Pew Research Center, the majority of the country feels sympathy for both Israelis and Palestinians. That should be reflected in our political system.
Will Israel and Gaza influence the presidential election?
It's possible that the two Squad losses will affect how Harris runs the rest of her presidential campaign.
With her selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate, the vice president is showing that she has been listening to progressives who wanted to see her run a bold campaign.
Walz's record can help beat Trump: Harris VP pick gives progressives what they want
But she's also come under scrutiny for not being outspoken enough against the Israel-Hamas war.
On Wednesday, she was interrupted by pro-Palestine protesters at a rally in Detroit. Harris responded, "If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that."
Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store.
Right now, the Democrats have built up a lot of enthusiasm among Gen Z and other voters on social media. That could fade if Harris sees Bush's loss Tuesday as a signal that becoming more moderate is the way to go.
It's also possible that the issue is fading. Gallup's polling has actually shown a decrease in disapproval of Israel's military action since March, which could be a sign that people are losing sight of the issue.
If Missouri voters think they're better off without Rep. Bush, I understand. I'm just worried that there will be fewer people in Congress speaking out against the atrocities we've been seeing for nearly a year in Gaza and what that means for those of us who want to see a cease-fire.
Follow USA TODAY elections columnist Sara Peque?o on X, formerly Twitter, @sara__pequeno
You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gaza ceasefire support cost Bush an election. Will it impact Harris?
