Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidate, defeated Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado's 1st Congressional District Democratic primary Tuesday, ending the Denver incumbent's 30-year congressional career. The Associated Press called the race Tuesday evening, delivering the DSA its highest-profile scalp yet, days after a slate of socialist candidates swept Democratic primaries in New York City. Colorado's 1st voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris by 56 points in 2024, making the November general a formality for the primary winner.
DSA Extends Winning Streak Beyond the East Coast
The DSA had signaled its ambitions after New York: "Today, the East Coast, next week the Mountain West," the organization posted on social media. DeGette, seeking a 16th term, was backed by former Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal and argued her committee seniority positioned her to advance Medicare-for-All. Kiros drew endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and anti-incumbent group Justice Democrats — the same coalition that toppled establishment Democrats in earlier cycles. University of Colorado Regent Wanda James ran a third candidacy that did not match Kiros's threat level but may have influenced the final margin.
Kiros: Background, Contested Statements, and Key Endorsers
Kiros, a PhD student and lawyer born in Ethiopia, was fired from a New York law firm in 2023 after publishing an open letter arguing that pro-Palestinian protesters calling for the elimination of Israel were not antisemitic. She described the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks as "the inevitable consequence of apartheid." Asked about September 11, she said the attacks were "inevitable in the sense that we destabilized a lot of the Middle East that forced people to believe that another act of violence was the only response." A June 2025 bipartisan House resolution condemning a Boulder firebombing of hostage-release protesters as part of a "rise in ideologically motivated attacks on Jewish individuals" passed with only Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Thomas Massie voting present; Kiros declined to characterize the attack as antisemitic.
Policy Overlap Masked Sharp Divisions on Israel and Corporate Money
DeGette and Kiros agreed on Medicare-for-All and abolishing ICE but diverged sharply on Israel and donor ethics. Kiros attacked DeGette for accepting corporate PAC contributions; DeGette responded that Kiros's comments on antisemitism and terrorism were disqualifying. Socialist streamer Hasan Piker — who has said Hamas is "a thousand times better" than Israel and praised the Chinese Communist Party — also publicly backed Kiros. DeGette, who served as an impeachment manager during Trump's second impeachment trial in 2021, framed her seniority and legislative record as the primary argument for a 16th term. The argument did not hold.
If elected in November, Kiros is positioned to join the House Squad, giving the DSA a Rocky Mountain seat to point to as it recruits challengers in future cycles.