Melat Kiros Challenges Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado’s 1st District Democratic Primary

Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old democratic socialist and former corporate attorney, is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, with the June 30 Democratic primary in Denver set to pit the three-term incumbent against Kiros and University of Colorado Regent Wanda James.

“Almost immediately after scoring a series of upset victories in New York last week, members of the rising progressive movement started looking ahead to their next target: Colorado’s 1st Congressional District”

CNN

CNN says Kiros told it, “I think voters have realized that the party and leadership are failing to meet this moment in a meaningful way,” as progressive allies look to Colorado after New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s U.S. House endorsements won their races.

CNN

The eciks.org account says the race is “neck and neck,” and notes Kiros was endorsed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders late last week and that some surveys indicate Kiros may be leading DeGette.

eciks.org also reports outside groups had spent a combined $3.1 million in the past month, with about $2.4 million going to support DeGette or oppose Kiros, while Justice Democrats spent $515,000 supporting Kiros and American Priorities paid $150,000 for TV ads backing her.

CNN adds that after DeGette only narrowly qualified for the ballot and was outperformed by Kiros, DeGette ramped up her campaigning, while DeGette said in a statement to CNN, “I’m running hard and talking to voters every day about what matters to families here, not national narratives playing out in other states.”

The Colorado Sun reports three progressive leaders criticized Kiros for declining, days before the primary election, to call the deadly firebombing attack last year on a Jewish community rally in Boulder antisemitic.

In a recent interview with 9News, Kiros said, “I don’t know what was in the heart of the perpetrator,” and she added that she knew only that “he went and attacked innocent people because of what they might have believed.”

eciks.org

The Colorado Sun says the demonstrators were predominantly Jewish and were targeted in Boulder on June 1, 2025, while participating in their weekly gathering to raise awareness of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas during its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The Colorado Sun identifies Mohamed Sabry Soliman as serving a life sentence after being convicted of carrying out the assault, and it says Karen Diamond, 82, died from injuries she suffered in the attack.

The Colorado Sun quotes state Rep. Yara Zokaie saying, “The answer is obvious that the attack on Jewish people in Boulder was an antisemitic attack,” as state Sen. Julie Gonzales and David Seligman also criticized Kiros’ response.

CNN frames the Colorado contest as the next test for a rising progressive movement after New York, with Kiros telling CNN that it’s time for “leaders who are actually going to be fighting for the interests of working people.”

“Eighteen teams opened the tournament with surprising scores and decisive wins, setting the stage for fierce competition across eight host cities”

mezha.net

CNN says the race has centered on Kiros’ vocal criticism of U.S. relations with Israel, including her refusal to describe as antisemitism a firebomb attack on protesters showing support for Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

CNN reports that one person was killed and another dozen were injured in the attack, and it says investigators found the perpetrator planned for a year and told police he was driven by a desire “to kill all Zionist people.”

eciks.org adds that Kiros wants the country to no longer be a Jewish state, while DeGette has called for a two-state solution, and it says Kiros argued the country “currently operates as an ethnocracy.”

CNN also reports that Usamah Andrabi, a spokesperson for Justice Democrats, said, “Every race this cycle has added more and more momentum to the next,” as the group discussed boosting Kiros through fundraising, phone banking, or campaigning.