Chris Andoe (Photo by Rodney Wilson).
The Epstein Files have pulled back the curtain on how power often operates — dividing and distracting the public while wealth and influence concentrate at the top. At a moment like this, it’s critically important that we scrutinize our candidates and ask where their loyalties truly lie.
When you follow the money, the contrasts in Missouri’s 1st District race become difficult to ignore.
Wesley Bell’s campaign has received significant support from major donors and political groups that have also backed Republican candidates and causes. Bell reported more than $65,000 in donations from individuals who also contributed to prominent Missouri Republicans, but super PAC spending has accounted for millions more.
Some of the same networks that invested heavily in shaping the current national political hellscape are now funding ads criticizing Cori Bush for not being sufficiently aligned with Democratic leadership.
Like a fast-food formula engineered with the perfect balance of salt, sugar, and fat to trigger a craving, political advertising is designed to provoke an emotional response. Bell’s ads have made many voters angry — exactly as intended. But that reaction can give way to a more troubling realization: the messaging is being funded by the same powerful interests that helped shape the political conditions our district is horrified by today.
That kind of funding overlap raises a simple question: when the pressure comes, who will those donors expect him to listen to?
It’s never been more apparent that the elites pulling the strings in this nation are rotten to the core. If you’re looking for someone willing to challenge corporate power, confront the influence of big money in politics, and consistently center the needs of working people, Cori Bush has a clear record. She has taken difficult votes, stood with workers and tenants, and maintained independence from the donor networks that shape so much of our political system.
At a time when many communities are still grappling with the consequences of recent political and economic decisions, the district will need a genuinely independent advocate.
This race ultimately comes down to independence and accountability. If you want a representative who will fight for the people — not the donor class — I believe Cori Bush is the fighter we need.
The views and opinions expressed in this piece are those of Chris Andoe and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions of editorial stance of Out In STL.
