Democratic Incumbent Loses to DSA-Backed Challenger in Colorado
Rep. Diana DeGette, a Democrat from Colorado and a 30-year incumbent, faced a surprising defeat in a primary election. Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old socialist candidate supported by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), emerged victorious in this notable election for a House seat based in Denver. This result marks a significant gain for the socialist left.
The DSA highlighted this victory as part of a growing trend following socialist wins in New York City primaries. In a recent social media post, the DSA referenced their success, pointing out that they aimed to expand beyond the East Coast to the Mountain West.
If elected in November, Kiros, who hails from Ethiopia, could join the group’s far-left members known as the Squad. This group of outspoken socialists in the House includes several other high-profile figures. Kiros received endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the Justice Democrats. Hasan Piker, a controversial socialist streamer, also supported Kiros. Piker has previously made contentious statements favoring the Chinese Communist Party over Israel.
DeGette, a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, had built her campaign on leftist credentials, including her support for abolishing ICE and promoting Medicare-for-All. Her experience as an impeachment manager during Trump’s second trial was also a noted aspect of her campaign.
Despite sharing many policy positions, DeGette and Kiros had clear differences regarding Israel and antisemitism. Kiros criticized DeGette for taking corporate PAC donations. Kiros, a lawyer and PhD student, faced controversy for supporting pro-Palestinian protesters and defending statements that others viewed as antisemitic. She declined to label a deadly attack on protesters in Boulder as antisemitic, raising tensions further.
A bipartisan resolution in June 2025 condemned such attacks in the rise of ideologically driven violence against Jewish individuals. It passed with broad support, except for two Representatives who voted present.
Kiros also made a controversial observation on the U.S. response to 9/11. She indicated that America’s foreign policy contributed to the attacks, describing it as an inevitable outcome from U.S. destabilization in the Middle East.
DeGette firmly opposed Kiros’ remarks on terrorism and antisemitism, criticizing her public alliances and statements.
In Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, the most liberal seat in the state, the primary election also included other candidates. University of Colorado Regent Wanda James participated in the race, which affected the overall vote distribution.