Missouri

Rep. Cori Bush faces well-funded prosecutor in Missouri primary – Roll Call

Published

2 years ago

July 29, 2024

Rep. Cori Bush faces well-funded prosecutor in Missouri primary – Roll Call

In the final days of a bruising primary campaign, Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., is fighting for her political life.

The two-term Democrat, “Squad” member and outspoken critic of Israel’s war in Gaza seeks to fend off a challenge from St. Louis County prosecuting attorney Wesley Bell amid a flood of outside spending against her by pro-Israel groups and polls that show her trailing. It’s her biggest political test since she toppled veteran Democratic Rep. William Lacy Clay in a 2020 primary that sent shock waves through Missouri’s Democratic establishment.

The victor in the Aug. 6 Democratic primary to represent Missouri’s 1st District is all but guaranteed a seat in Congress. The deep-blue House seat encompasses St. Louis and Ferguson, where President Joe Biden in 2020 beat former President Donald Trump by 58 points, according to Inside Elections, which rates the November race as “Solid Democratic.”

Limited polling indicates Bell is surging. In mid-June, the prosecutor led Bush 43 to 42 percent in a survey conducted by The Mellman Group for Democratic Majority for Israel. A survey taken at the end of June by McLaughlin & Associates publicized by the New York Post on July 14 found Bell led Bush by 23 points.

The closely watched race has pitted two Black, self-described progressives — their political careers were each propelled by their activism on the streets of Ferguson, Mo., after the killing of unarmed Black teenager Michael Brown Jr. by a police officer in 2014 — against each other. At the time, Bush helped lead protests calling for police reform as Bell mediated between demonstrators and law enforcement. And on paper, there is broad agreement between the candidates on many Democratic priorities, including abortion access and climate change.

That hasn’t stopped them from sparring on a host of matters.

Bush is defending her legislative record, pitching herself to voters as the best candidate to continue the fight for progressive goals such as “Medicare for All.” Her campaign is trying to paint Bell as a centrist politician whom progressives can’t trust.

In contrast, Bell is touting his tenure as a prosecutor and criminal justice reformer. He is seeking to portray his opponent as a self-serving legislator who is more focused on political theater than delivering tangible wins for her constituents.

Israel stance draws spotlight

National observers and advocacy organizations are drawing attention to the race over the candidates’ reactions to a conflict thousands of miles from Missouri: Israel’s war in Gaza.

In the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks into Israel by Hamas, Bell has reiterated his support for Israel to defend itself, resisted joining calls for a cease-fire and rejected the notion that Israel’s tactics in Gaza amount to a genocide. In contrast, Bush has emerged as one of Congress’ most outspoken critics of Israel.

Despite her condemnation of the Oct. 7 attacks, Bush’s advocacy for Palestinians and move to sponsor a cease-fire resolution in the House have made her a primary target of pro-Israel advocacy groups. Through Thursday, United Democracy Project, an arm of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, had spent nearly $7.1 million on TV ads, mailings and phone banking to promote Bell or attack Bush, according to disclosures with the Federal Election Commission.

In June, AIPAC and its affiliates spent a record $14.5 million in a successful bid to oust Bush’s fellow “Squad” member, New York Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman. Two days after his defeat, AIPAC sent out a fundraising text targeting Bush.

Another pro-Israel PAC, Democratic Majority for Israel, has spent $475,000 supporting Bell, which included a television ad that focuses on police reform and abortion rights — not Israel.

Bush, meanwhile, has tried to use AIPAC’s support of Bell against him by highlighting the group’s conservative donors, many of whom have donated heavily to GOP candidates, including Trump and Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley. Her campaign is currently airing a TV ad with narration that makes the case directly: “Donald Trump and Josh Hawley’s donors are bankrolling Wesley Bell!”

The Bell campaign is pushing back.

Bush has not launched similar attacks on fellow House Democrats who also receive generous support from AIPAC, Bell campaign adviser Anjan Mukherjee said in an interview.

“This is nothing more than Cori Bush playing political games,” he added. “Hakeem Jeffries also has support from AIPAC. She’s not out there criticizing him for it. She’s not out there calling him, you know, beholden to Republican money.” Jeffries, the House minority leader from New York, has endorsed Bush.

At the end of the day, both campaigns have signaled that concerns over inflation and the future of abortion access, not Israel, will be top of mind for voters next week.

“I think it [Israel] is probably not a central issue to most of them,” Peverill Squire, a professor at the University of Missouri’s Truman School of Government and Public Affairs, said in an interview. “Most voters in the 1st District are really focused on another set of issues.”

Candidates draw battle lines

Bush has repeatedly said her campaign is under attack from “far-right Republican mega donors.”

“They are bankrolling a faux-progressive, former Republican campaign operative to buy our deep blue Democratic seat,” she said in a public statement on social media that referenced Bell’s role managing an unsuccessful GOP House campaign for a personal friend in 2006.

This week, Bush allies such as Justice Democrats, which has already spent $1.5 million on the race, were quick to highlight a potentially damaging new report regarding Bell’s prosecutorial record put out by a coalition of a half-dozen social justice watchdog organizations in St. Louis. The document concluded that Bell had fallen short in delivering on his campaign promises to reform the way the prosecutor’s office operated, increase transparency and reduce reliance on cash bail. Bell told a St. Louis newspaper last week that he believes the report is political and pointed out that some of the organizations behind the document have already endorsed his opponent.

Meanwhile, his team is highlighting Bush’s poor attendance record on House votes as evidence that she’s not serious about legislating.

“She has often failed to show up to work, and she has failed to deliver results,” Mukherjee said.

The Bell campaign is taking Bush to task over her opposition to Biden’s 2023 debt ceiling deal, along with her vote against the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law in 2021, when Bush was one of just six House Democrats who broke with her party to vote against the measure.

“You know, that [vote] strikes people as not doing the job she was elected to do,” Mukherjee said.

At the time, Bush said she opposed the infrastructure bill because she wanted it and a broader climate and economic package known as Build Back Better to be passed together. “I didn’t go to Congress to do what’s easy. I went to Congress to do what is necessary, and mediocrity is the enemy of progress,” Bush told a local TV station in 2021.

Federal probe looms

A potential wild card in the race could be that Bush faces a Justice Department investigation into her use of campaign funds to pay private security and promote her now-husband, Cortney Merritts, to join her security team. She has denied any wrongdoing.

The FEC and bipartisan House Ethics Committee are also investigating the matter.

Several local election observers have told CQ Roll Call they don’t believe the campaign finance questions are enough to derail Bush’s campaign.

“It was in the news cycle for a week. Given the other scandals we hear about, this just seems so mundane. Maybe it shouldn’t be, but I think that’s how voters perceive it,” Daniel M. Butler, a professor of political science at Washington University in St. Louis, said in a June interview.

Squire concurred. “The idea of there being some sort of petty corruption in politics is sort of built into the process here,” he said.

Bell dominates fundraising

Heading into the primary’s final days, Bell had raised nearly $4.8 million to Bush’s $2.9 million and had $1.8 million in cash on July 17 to her $354,000.

“The money that has come in for Bell has given him a much better chance to make this race competitive than it would have been if he hadn’t gotten those resources,” said Squire.

But, he noted, Missouri voters are being bombarded with political ads from other candidates, thanks to the state’s high-profile primary campaigns on the Republican side for governor and attorney general.

A last-minute advertising blitz by Bell, Squire observed, would be “coming in an environment where there are lots of ads inundating voters.”

Turnout, he added, will be key for Bush. Her status as an incumbent could also give her an edge. “She has voters who have come out for her in the past, and she’s undoubtedly trying to mobilize to turn out again,” he said. “The question is whether there are enough Democrats who are disenchanted with her that they’ll simply turn out and vote for Bell.”

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 winning numbers for March 3, 2026

Published

4 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 3, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 3 drawing

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 3 drawing

Midday: 5-8-9

Midday Wild: 8

Evening: 8-8-2

Evening Wild: 7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 3 drawing

Midday: 0-3-5-7

Midday Wild: 2

Evening: 0-9-9-5

Evening Wild: 6

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 3 drawing

Early Bird: 13

Morning: 15

Matinee: 09

Prime Time: 14

Night Owl: 14

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from March 3 drawing

04-07-09-17-21

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All Missouri Lottery retailers can redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners have the option to submit their claim by mail or in person at one of Missouri Lottery’s regional offices, by appointment only.

To claim by mail, complete a Missouri Lottery winner claim form, sign your winning ticket, and include a copy of your government-issued photo ID along with a completed IRS Form W-9. Ensure your name, address, telephone number and signature are on the back of your ticket. Claims should be mailed to:

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For in-person claims, visit the Missouri Lottery Headquarters in Jefferson City or one of the regional offices in Kansas City, Springfield or St. Louis. Be sure to call ahead to verify hours and check if an appointment is required.

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Missouri

Missouri auditor to probe St. Louis arts funder after whistleblower complaint

Published

16 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Missouri auditor to probe St. Louis arts funder after whistleblower complaint

Missouri state Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick has launched a review of the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis’ finances.

The audit is in response to complaints from a whistleblower who alerted the office to possible misuse of funds, Fitzpatrick said Tuesday. The auditor’s office then reviewed documents provided by RAC during an initial investigation before launching a full audit.

“We have verified the veracity of the whistleblower complaint, and have seen with our own eyes at this point records that give us enough concern that we want to proceed with an audit,” Fitzpatrick said.

The auditor’s report could be released late this year or in early 2027, he added. It would then be up to state and local authorities to follow up on any potential misconduct.

In an unsigned statement, RAC said it receives an annual audit from a firm selected by the offices of the St. Louis mayor and St. Louis County executive and that it shares the results publicly. “[We] are confident the findings from the state will mirror the success we have come to expect at the local level,” the statement says.

“We welcome the opportunity to provide documentation and context regarding our financial practices and grantmaking processes. As always, RAC will continue to focus on serving the St. Louis region’s arts and cultural community and maintaining the public’s trust,” the statement adds.

Potential issues identified in the state auditor’s initial investigation include the possibilities that RAC’s administrative expenses exceed what is allowed by statute, that leaders issued bonuses disallowed by the state constitution and that large grants were issued with no follow-up to ensure the money was used properly.

Fitzpatrick said his actions are not related to the commission’s choice of grant recipients.

Changes to the grant process

RAC distributes annual grants to arts organizations in St. Louis and St. Louis County. It is funded by a tax on hotel and motel stays. The commission distributed $3.7 million last year.

The organization suspended grant applications for fiscal 2026 due to “continuing financial volatility” and a new five-year plan, according to a note on its website. It will use applications received in 2025 as a guide for its 2026 grants.

Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis

Vanessa Cooksey took leadership of the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis in 2021.

“This pause allows RAC to support eligible and high-scoring 2025 grantees and applicants while navigating financial challenges and planning for a stronger, more sustainable grant program in the future,” the note says.

RAC publishes a list of its annual grants online.

Vanessa Cooksey became president and CEO of the organization in 2020 after it spent a year without a permanent leader. Previous chief Felicia Shaw had stepped down in November 2019. Neither Shaw nor RAC provided a public explanation for Shaw’s departure.

Some smaller organizations had complained that during Shaw’s tenure they stopped receiving annual grants.

The Regional Arts Commission had a $13.4 million budget in 2024, according to tax documents. Cooksey received a $196,253 salary and $28,652 in additional compensation.

Continuing a process begun by Shaw, Cooksey oversaw changes to grant applications that she said were meant to simplify the process – including removing a longstanding split between its funding mechanisms for large and small organizations.

A key arts funder after the coronavirus pandemic

In November 2022, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to direct $10.6 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to RAC. A measure that would have allocated another $1.6 million failed to pass the St. Louis County Council, so RAC was statutorily required to distribute ARPA funds only to groups based in St. Louis.

RAC has distributed $9.5 million of the ARPA money so far, funding 195 individual artists and 75 organizations.

Arts leaders said in 2022 that the sector supports more than 19,000 jobs and generates nearly $600 million a year – more than all local sports franchises combined.

The federal money was a boon to St. Louis artists and arts organizations following a steep decrease in funding at the height of the coronavirus pandemic due to decreased tourism in the region.

Tax revenues earmarked for RAC decreased from $9.5 million in fiscal 2019 to $2.8 million the next year. Tax revenue directed to RAC have increased but still lag behind the pre-pandemic total. The commission reported $7.5 million in tax revenue received in fiscal 2024.

RAC presented a new five-year plan with much fanfare in March 2020 but had little initial opportunity to implement it. Not long after, St. Louis officials put limits on public gatherings to tamp down spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Commission officials released a new five-year strategic roadmap in December 2025.

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Missouri

Missouri Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 winning numbers for March 2, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

The Missouri Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 2, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing

02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing

Midday: 3-3-4

Midday Wild: 2

Evening: 4-8-9

Evening Wild: 7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 2 drawing

Midday: 6-4-2-2

Midday Wild: 5

Evening: 2-8-2-4

Evening Wild: 1

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 2 drawing

Early Bird: 08

Morning: 12

Matinee: 05

Prime Time: 04

Night Owl: 02

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Show Me Cash numbers from March 2 drawing

13-17-18-23-28

Check Show Me Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 2 drawing

21-28-58-65-67, Powerball: 25

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Ticket Redemption

Missouri Lottery

P.O. Box 7777

Jefferson City, MO 65102-7777

For additional instructions or to download the claim form, visit the Missouri Lottery prize claim page.

When are the Missouri Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 3: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Pick 4: 12:45 p.m. (Midday) and 8:59 p.m. (Evening) daily.
Cash4Life: 8 p.m. daily.
Cash Pop: 8 a.m. (Early Bird), 11 a.m. (Late Morning), 3 p.m. (Matinee), 7 p.m. (Prime Time) and 11 p.m. (Night Owl) daily.
Show Me Cash: 8:59 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday.
Powerball Double Play: 9:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Missouri editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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