Cori Bush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cori Bush
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 1st district |
|
| In office January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2025 |
|
| Preceded by | Lacy Clay |
| Succeeded by | Wesley Bell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 21, 1976 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Cortney Merritts
(m. 2023) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Harris-Stowe State University Lutheran School of Nursing |
Cori Anika Bush (born July 21, 1976) is an American politician, nurse, and pastor. She is also a Black Lives Matter activist. From 2021 to 2025, she served as a U.S. Representative for Missouri's 1st district. This district includes the city of St. Louis and most of northern St. Louis County.
Cori Bush is a member of the Democratic Party. In 2020, she won a big surprise victory against a long-time politician, Lacy Clay, in the primary election. This made her the first African-American woman to represent Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is also part of a group of progressive lawmakers known as "the Squad". In 2024, she lost her primary election to Wesley Bell.
Contents
About Cori Bush
Early Life and Education
Cori Bush was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on July 21, 1976. She finished high school in 1994. Her father, Errol Bush, was a mayor and is now an alderman in Northwoods, Missouri.
Cori Bush went to Harris–Stowe State University for a year. She worked at a preschool until 2001. Later, in 2008, she earned a nursing diploma from the Lutheran School of Nursing.
Early Career and Activism
In 2011, Bush started a church called Kingdom Embassy International Church in St. Louis, Missouri. She was a pastor there until 2014. She became a political activist during the 2014 Ferguson unrest. During this time, she worked as a nurse and helped organize events. She is also an ambassador for nonviolence with the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change.
In 2016, Bush ran for the U.S. Senate in Missouri but did not win the primary election.
Serving in Congress
Elections to the House
2018 Election
In 2018, Cori Bush first ran for Congress against the person already holding the seat, Lacy Clay. Her campaign was shown in a Netflix documentary called Knock Down the House. Even though she had a lot of support, she did not win this election.
2020 Election
In 2020, Bush ran against Lacy Clay again. This time, she had support from many progressive groups and politicians like Bernie Sanders. She won the primary election in a big surprise victory. This win was very important because the Clay family had held that congressional seat for 52 years.
Because her district usually votes for Democrats, her primary win meant she was very likely to win the general election. She did win, getting 78% of the votes.
2022 Election
In 2022, Cori Bush ran for reelection. She won the Democratic primary with almost 70% of the votes and then won the general election.
2024 Election
In 2024, Bush ran for reelection again. However, she lost the Democratic primary to Wesley Bell. This election was very expensive, with a lot of money spent against Bush. This was because of her views on the Israel–Hamas war.
Time in Office
.jpg)
After becoming a U.S. Representative, Cori Bush joined "the Squad". This is a group of progressive Democratic lawmakers.
In January 2021, after people stormed the U.S. Capitol, Bush suggested removing any Republican who supported trying to change the 2020 election results. She also supported impeaching President Donald Trump a second time.
In August 2021, Bush played a key role in trying to extend a rule that stopped people from being evicted from their homes during the pandemic. She even slept on the Capitol steps to make her point. The rule was then extended.
In 2022, Bush helped get $750,000 for the Urban League in St. Louis. She also helped get money for other community groups in the area. In 2024, she helped secure over $13 million for projects in the St. Louis area. These projects included food and shelter services and housing redevelopment.
Important Issues
In September 2021, Bush was one of a few Democrats who voted against funding Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. In October 2023, she spoke out against the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. She also introduced a resolution asking for a ceasefire in the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. She criticized Israel's bombing of Gaza that caused many civilian deaths.
Cori Bush also worked with other politicians to get money for public transportation. This money helps repair damage to transit systems from severe storms and floods.
Committee Work
Cori Bush served on important committees in Congress:
- Committee on Oversight and Accountability
- She was a top member on the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs.
- Committee on the Judiciary
Groups She Belongs To
Cori Bush is part of several groups in Congress, including:
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment (she helps lead this group)
- Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- Medicare for All Caucus
Political Views
Cori Bush is a progressive Democrat. This means she supports ideas like:
- Changing how police departments are funded and run.
- Making changes to the justice system.
- Having a healthcare system where everyone is covered (called Medicare for All).
- A $15 minimum wage.
- Making state colleges and trade schools free.
- Canceling student debt.
She is also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Bush supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. She has called Israel an "apartheid state". She strongly supports the goals of Black Lives Matter.
During her campaign, Bush talked about changing how money is spent on the military. She later explained that she wanted to use some of that money for healthcare and communities with lower incomes.
Personal Life
Cori Bush lives in St. Louis, Missouri. She has two children. In 2001, she and her family lived in their car for about three months after losing their home. This happened because she became ill during her second pregnancy and had to quit her job. In 2023, she married Cortney Merritts, who works in security and is a U.S. Army veteran.
In May 2021, Bush shared her experience of being ignored by doctors during her first pregnancy, which led to early labor. She believes this was due to "harsh and racist treatment" that Black women sometimes face during pregnancy and childbirth.
See also
In Spanish: Cori Bush para niños
- Black women in American politics
- Legacy of Black Lives Matter
- List of African-American United States representatives
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
