Progressive activists are turning their attention to Colorado's 1st Congressional District, where a 29-year-old democratic socialist is challenging a 15-term incumbent in a race that could signal whether the left's recent electoral momentum extends beyond New York.
Melat Kiros, a lawyer and first-time candidate, is competing against Rep. Diana DeGette in Tuesday's Democratic primary for the solidly blue Denver seat. The contest follows a series of upset victories by progressive candidates in New York last week, which activists hope to build upon.
Challenger seeks to capitalize on anti-establishment sentiment
"I think voters have realized that the party and leadership are failing to meet this moment in a meaningful way, and it's time for leaders who are actually going to be fighting for the interests of working people," Kiros told CNN.
Kiros, whose family immigrated to Denver from Ethiopia when she was an infant, has criticized DeGette for accepting donations from corporate political action committees. She received a late endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders earlier this month.
Incumbent defends record amid tough challenge
DeGette, who has represented Colorado's most liberal district for nearly three decades, has faced primary challenges before, but Democratic strategists in the state say this is likely her toughest race in years.
"I've won contested primaries before, and I'm confident about this one," 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."
At a candidate forum earlier this month, DeGette argued that "now is not the time to gamble and send somebody with no experience to Washington." She has pointed to her work as an impeachment manager as evidence of her record fighting the Trump administration.
Race draws national attention and outside spending
The primary has attracted significant outside spending in its final days, including more than $1.5 million from Pro-Choice Majority Action to boost DeGette. The group has aired positive ads calling DeGette "the strongest voice fighting Trump" and an advocate for Medicare for All and defunding Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A super PAC called Mile High Accountability Project, registered on April 29, has run ads attacking Kiros, calling her a recent Denver resident and accusing her of wanting to divide Democrats. The ad claims her supporters want to defund the police, abolish the Senate and withdraw from NATO.
Kiros called the criticism that she recently moved to the state "disrespectful" and said the other attacks were misrepresenting her record, adding that they are "reading as Republican-esque, frankly, as well, and isn't actually speaking to the things that Denverites really care about, which is how you're going to make the city affordable for them."
Kiros faces scrutiny over Israel-Hamas war comments
The race has also centered on Kiros' vocal criticism of U.S. relations with Israel. She was fired from a law firm in 2023 after she refused to take down an open letter arguing that student protesters' calls for the elimination of Israel should not be conflated with antisemitism.
Kiros recently faced criticism for declining to describe as antisemitism a firebomb attack on protesters showing support for Israeli hostages held by Hamas. One person was killed and another dozen were injured in the attack, which investigators say the perpetrator planned for a year, telling police he was driven by a desire "to kill all Zionist people."
"I don't know what was in the heart of the perpetrator," Kiros said in an interview with 9News. "All I know is that he went and attacked innocent people because of what they might have believed."
Wider progressive tests in Colorado
Kiros' campaign is among several contests this week testing voters' appetite for change in Colorado. In the U.S. Senate race, progressive state Sen. Julie Gonzales is challenging incumbent Sen. John Hickenlooper, who has voted for several Trump Cabinet nominees. In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, Sen. Michael Bennet faces a challenge from Attorney General Phil Weiser.
A third candidate in the 1st District race, University of Colorado Regent Wanda James, qualified for the ballot by collecting voter signatures.
"I wouldn't be shocked if either outcome happens," one longtime Colorado Democratic strategist told CNN, speaking anonymously. DeGette narrowly qualified for the primary ballot through the party-run caucus and assembly process, where she was outperformed by Kiros.
