Cori Bush facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Cori Bush
Official portrait, 2021

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	(1976-07-21) July 21, 1976 (age 49) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Other political affiliations	Democratic Socialists of America
Spouse	Cortney Merritts (m. 2023)
Children	2
Education	Harris-Stowe State University Lutheran School of Nursing

Cori Anika Bush, born on 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 the U.S. Representative for Missouri's 1st congressional district. This district covers the city of St. Louis and much of northern St. Louis County.

As a member of the Democratic Party, Bush won against a long-serving representative, Lacy Clay, in 2020. This victory was a big surprise. She then won the general election in a district that usually votes Democratic. Cori Bush is the first African-American woman to represent Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives. She was also part of a group of progressive lawmakers known as "the Squad."

In August 2024, Cori Bush lost her party's nomination for her seat to Wesley Bell. This election received a lot of attention. Groups that support Israel spent a lot of money to oppose Bush. This was because of her views on the Gaza war.

Early Life and Education
Early Career and Activism
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Political Views
Personal Life
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Cori Bush was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on July 21, 1976. She graduated from Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School in 1994. Her father, Errol Bush, is an alderman in Northwoods, Missouri. He also used to be the mayor there.

Bush attended Harris–Stowe State University for one year, from 1995 to 1996. She worked at a preschool until 2001. In 2008, she earned a nursing diploma from the Lutheran School of Nursing.

Early Career and Activism

In 2011, Cori Bush started the Kingdom Embassy International Church in St. Louis, Missouri. She served as its pastor until 2014. She became a political activist during the 2014 Ferguson unrest. During this time, she worked as a nurse and an organizer.

Bush is also an ambassador for Nonviolence 365. This program is with the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change. In 2016, Bush ran for the U.S. Senate in Missouri. She came in second place in the Democratic primary election.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

Election Campaigns

2018 Election Challenge

In 2018, Bush ran for Congress against the current representative, Lacy Clay. Her campaign was seen as a challenge to the established politician. Organizations like Brand New Congress and Justice Democrats supported her. Her campaign was shown in the Netflix documentary Knock Down the House. Clay won that election with 56.7% of the votes.

2020 Election Victory

Logo for Bush's 2020 congressional campaign

In 2020, Bush ran against Lacy Clay again. Many progressive groups supported her. These included Justice Democrats and Sunrise Movement. She also received support from Senator Bernie Sanders.

Bush won the primary election against Clay by a small margin. This was a big surprise to many. Her win ended the Clay family's long hold on the district. Clay's father had held the seat since 1968. Bush then easily won the general election. She defeated Republican Anthony Rogers with 78% of the vote.

2022 Reelection

In 2022, Cori Bush ran for reelection to her seat. She was challenged by state senator Steve Roberts. Roberts had support from former representative Lacy Clay. Bush won the Democratic primary with almost 70% of the votes.

2024 Primary Defeat

In 2024, Bush sought reelection again. On August 6, 2024, she lost the Democratic primary. She was defeated by Wesley Bell, the prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County. This primary election was one of the most expensive House primaries ever. Over $9 million was spent against Bush. This spending came from a group linked to AIPAC. They targeted Bush because of her views on the Gaza war.

Time in Office

Cori Bush with Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib on September 3, 2021

After being sworn into office, Bush joined "The Squad." This is a group of progressive Democrats in Congress. She shared a photo with other members, saying "Squad up."

On January 6, 2021, after rioters attacked the U.S. Capitol, Bush took action. She introduced a resolution to remove any Republican who supported overturning the 2020 election results. She called the attack a "white supremacist insurrection."

In August 2021, Bush worked hard to extend a rule that stopped people from being evicted. She even slept on the steps of the U.S. Capitol to make her point. The rule was extended on August 3.

In 2022, Bush helped secure $750,000 for the Urban League in North St. Louis. This money helped expand their facilities. She also got funding for other service groups in the area.

In 2023, Bush introduced a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza war. She spoke out against the bombing of Gaza. This bombing had caused many civilian deaths.

On January 30, 2024, Bush confirmed she was being investigated. The investigation was by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Election Commission. It was about how she used money for her security. Bush stated that a previous investigation found no wrongdoing.

For the 2024 fiscal year, Bush secured over $13 million in federal funds. These funds were for projects in the St. Louis area. They included money for emergency food and shelter. They also helped redevelop a housing complex.

Foreign Policy Views

In September 2021, Bush was one of eight Democrats who voted against funding Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. She condemned the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel. On October 16, 2023, she introduced a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza war. She also spoke against Israel's bombing of the Gaza Strip.

Public Transportation Support

Cori Bush and other lawmakers worked to support public transportation. They successfully advocated for the Federal Transit Administration Climate Relief Fund. This fund helps repair public transit systems after severe storms. Bush said she would not vote for the budget if these funds were not included.

Committee Assignments

For the 118th Congress, Cori Bush served on two main committees:

Committee on Oversight and Accountability
- Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs (Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs
Committee on the Judiciary
- Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance
- Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government

Caucus Memberships

Cori Bush was a member of several important groups in Congress:

Congressional Black Caucus
Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment (Co-chair)
Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus
Congressional Progressive Caucus
Medicare for All Caucus

Political Views

Bush during the George Floyd protests in July 2020

Cori Bush is a progressive Democrat. She supports policies like reforming police funding. She also supports criminal justice and police reform. Other policies she supports include Medicare for All and a $15 minimum wage. She also supports tuition-free state college and canceling student debt.

She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. Bush supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. She has also called Israel an "apartheid state." She strongly supports the demands of Black Lives Matter.

After the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, Bush introduced a resolution. It aimed to investigate and remove members of the House. These members had promoted false claims about the 2020 election.

On July 18, 2023, she voted against a resolution in Congress. This resolution stated that "the State of Israel is not a racist or apartheid state." Bush then introduced the Ceasefire Now Resolution in Congress. This resolution called for a ceasefire and more humanitarian aid during the Gaza war.

Personal Life

Cori Bush lives in St. Louis, Missouri. She has two children. In 2001, Bush and her family lived in their car for about three months. This happened after they were evicted from their home. In February 2023, Bush married Cortney Merritts. He is a security specialist and a U.S. Army veteran.

Images for kids

Logo for Bush's 2020 congressional campaign
Cori Bush with Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib on September 3, 2021
Bush during the George Floyd protests in July 2020