Just three “squad” members showed up to the farewells of ousted members who lost their Democratic primaries this year, Reps. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) and Cori Bush (D-MO). The two Democrats delivered their outgoing speeches to an empty congressional floor with only fellow squad members Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) being present.
A grand total of three members of Congress showed up to Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush's farewell speech. pic.twitter.com/HC9GG0UFS3
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) December 13, 2024
Bowman’s progressive stance on issues is said to be the culprit for his devastating loss. The person who pulled the fire alarm to stall a vote earlier this year has become so unpopular that AOC canceled an appearance she had planned with him on Elected Day. Bowman was also criticized for referring to Israel’s war against Hamas as a “genocide” against Palestinians.
In the case of Bush, she was the victim of her own self-inflicted wounds. According to GovTrack, Bush ranks as one of Missouri's least effective Congress members, with only a few of her bills advancing out of committee. During her time in office, the Department of Justice quietly launched an investigation into her bodyguard, questioning whether he provided any legitimate work despite receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from her official office. Bush also committed several notable blunders, including confusing Memorial Day with Veterans Day in a social media post, struggling to understand the tax code during inquiries, and voicing unsolicited opinions on racial issues related to specific criminal cases.
The fighting within the squad caused friction among its members, which threatened their chance of a majority.
"Nobody who cares about them tried to help, tried to stop them, tried to say, ‘Hey, there’s a better way. You don’t need to do this. You can advocate for your position without alienating the vast majority of voters,'” a Democratic lawmaker told Politico. “If you’re going to start huge fights as opposed to governing,” the person said, “there are consequences.”
