Cori Bush

Cori Anika Bush (born July 21, 1976) is an American politician, nurse, pastor, and Black Lives Matter activist who served as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 1st congressional district from 2021 to 2025. She is a member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America. Bush was first elected to Congress in 2020 after defeating incumbent Lacy Clay in the Democratic primary. She previously ran against Clay for the seat in 2018. Her 2018 campaign was featured in the 2019 Netflix documentary film Knock Down the House. She is the first African-American woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri. She was re-elected in 2022. In 2024, Bush lost the Democratic primary to St. Louis County prosecuting attorney Wesley Bell. She ran again in 2026, losing to Bell in a primary rematch.