Outgoing Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri gave her farewell address on Friday after losing her primary to moderate Democrat Wesley Bell, reflecting on her time in Congress and her connection to "The Squad."
The Daily Caller reported that her emotional speech, given to a nearly empty room, captured her mixed emotions as she looked back on her accomplishments and thanked her political allies.
During her 33-minute speech, Bush expressed gratitude for her time in office and the far-left political group "The Squad," while also acknowledging the controversies surrounding her tenure.
Bush, who has represented Missouri's 1st Congressional District, lost her bid for re-election to Bell, who had garnered broad support from Jewish groups and local voters.
Bush's farewell speech was marked by a striking absence of attendees, with only a few members of Congress present to hear her reflections. This was because even her own party was happy to see her thrown out of Congress.
“I am so grateful and I am so honored,” Bush said, her voice choked with emotion, as she thanked her supporters. She focused much of her speech on her fellow members of "The Squad"—a group of progressive lawmakers that includes Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York.
Bush proudly declared, “Our Squad was never small and never silent. We have changed the course of history,” echoing her belief that the group had significantly impacted the political landscape.
She credited her colleagues for their efforts and expressed gratitude for the close bonds they had formed during their time in Congress.
“We are family, and if for nothing else, we will always be connected for our time right here in Congress together,” Bush continued, underscoring the personal and political connections she had made during her tenure.
Bush laughed as she recalled the influence of her colleagues, adding, “Each of you have made history and made a difference in your own right and you have made a difference in my life. And I’m going to speak for brother Jamaal, you, you’ve made a difference in his.”
The farewell speech took place after Bush had suffered a significant loss in her primary race, where Bell, a moderate Democrat and current St. Louis County prosecutor, defeated her.
Bell’s victory was fueled in part by his broad appeal to voters seeking a more centrist approach. His campaign also received strong backing from local Jewish groups, many of whom criticized Bush for her opposition to a House resolution condemning the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas.
She had made headlines throughout her tenure for her radical progressive stances, but her time in Congress was also marked by controversy.
A scandal surrounding the use of campaign funds to pay her husband raised questions about her judgment, while her public statements—including one in which she claimed to be able to heal tumors with her hands—drew criticism from both sides of the political aisle.
Nevertheless, Bush chose to focus on her achievements and her role in advancing progressive causes, highlighting the impact of "The Squad" on American politics. She emphasized that the group's work had helped bring attention to issues such as income inequality, police reform, and healthcare access.
