Wesley Bell wins U.S. Congressional seat on 50th birthday, AP projects
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell is celebrating a major political victory and a milestone birthday. Bell, who turned 50 on Tuesday, was declared the winner of the race for Missouri District 1.
Bell bested Republican Andrew Jones and three other challengers on Election Day.
Bell will be sworn into the U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 3, 2025, as part of the 119th Congress.
"Today, the people of the St. Louis region voted for a brighter future and greater opportunity. During my campaign, I promised to serve the First District with integrity, transparency, and accountability. I recommit myself to that promise tonight, and pledge to always remember who sent me to Congress to fight for them — the people of this region," Bell said.
"I am humbled and honored to have the privilege of representing our region in Washington. We must build an economy that works for everyone, protect our rights and freedoms, and make sure that America remains on the forward journey towards building a more perfect union. I'm ready to get to work."
Bell won a contentious primary in August, unseating incumbent Cori Bush in a race that drew national attention for the millions in donations made by a pro-Israel PAC to defeat the two-term congresswoman. Bush, a member of the progressive "Squad" in the House of Representatives, had been critical of Israel's response in Gaza and the West Bank in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas.
Bell had originally planned on running for Senator Josh Hawley's U.S. Senate seat, which would have meant a primary showdown with Lucas Kunce. Instead, Bell opted to challenge Bush.
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Bell rose to prominence in the aftermath of the Ferguson protests in 2014. He was elected to the Ferguson City Council in 2015 and, in 2018, challenged Bob McCulloch for the role as chief prosecutor in St. Louis County. Bell stunned the political world by defeating the seven-term incumbent in the Democratic primary in what was seen as a referendum on McCulloch's handling of the Michael Brown shooting and aftermath .
District 1 covers all of St. Louis City and several cities in north and central St. Louis County, including Maryland Heights, Florissant, Ferguson, Jennings, and University City.
Democrats have controlled Missouri District 1 for three-quarters of a century. In fact, only two Republicans have even held the seat since the turn of the 20th century: Frank C. Millspaugh and Samuel W. Arnold.
