Democratic Socialist Melat Kiros Defeats 15-Term Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado 1st Primary

Democratic socialist Melat Kiros defeated 15-term Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District Democratic primary on Tuesday, ending DeGette’s nearly 30-year run in Congress.

“Anti-establishment progressives saw off some seasoned office-holders in Democratic primary contests in the US state of Colorado on Tuesday, as the party struggles with an internal battle over how far to the left it can shift without ruining its prospects for taking control of US Congress in November mid-term elections”

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NPR reported Kiros is poised to become the first Gen Z woman elected to Congress, with the Associated Press race call placing her to replace DeGette, who has held office since 1997.

Al Jazeera

Axios said the Associated Press called the race for Kiros just after 10pm Tuesday, with Kiros leading by 6 points in the latest ballot drop from Denver Elections Division at 49% compared to DeGette’s 44%.

Fox News described Kiros as a 29-year-old Democratic socialist supported by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), the Working Families Party (WFP) and the Justice Democrats, and said she defeated DeGette by a nearly 10-point margin.

Kiros framed the result as a message to voters in her victory speech, telling supporters, "Denver voters of all ages, of all races, of all religions sent a clear message: we will not wait."

Fox News highlighted the Israel-related contrast between Kiros and DeGette, saying Kiros accused Israel of committing a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and supports a full U.S. arms embargo on Israel.

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The Denver Post reported Kiros used her victory speech to say, "We will not wait to bring the fight to (President) Donald Trump and the oligarchy," and added that she would demand Congress abolish ICE and pass Medicare for All.

France 24 quoted Bernie Sanders on X, writing, "The tide is turning," and said Sanders congratulated Kiros on her "extraordinary victory" over a lawmaker who had been in office for 30 years.

Kiros’s primary win sets up the November general election, with Axios saying she is poised to become the first Black woman to represent Colorado in Congress and that she is "moves on to the Nov. 3 general election" in the heavily Democratic seat.

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NPR said Kiros would replace DeGette and join a small cohort of democratic socialists in Congress, noting that currently just two sitting House members — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Rashida Tlaib — describe themselves as democratic socialists.

The Hill reported Republicans framed the upset as part of a broader anti-establishment pattern, quoting Mike Marinella saying, "The socialist takeover of the Democrat Party is no longer confined to deep-blue strongholds."

Le Devoir linked the Colorado result to a wider progressive wave, quoting Bernie Sanders as saying, "The wind is turning," and AFP said the victories were a blow to Democrats’ traditional leaders months before the midterm elections.