Overview
- The Democratic primary for Colorado’s 1st District is a close, high-profile contest between 29-year-old democratic socialist Melat Kiros and 15-term Rep. Diana DeGette with organizers treating it as the next test after recent progressive wins in New York.
- Kiros outperformed DeGette in the party assembly this spring, a process where candidates need 30% of activist support to reach the ballot, signaling grassroots strength that pushed DeGette to escalate campaigning.
- Progressive backers have accelerated support for Kiros, including a late endorsement from Sen. Bernie Sanders, while outside groups backing DeGette have poured substantial cash into the race, with Pro-Choice Majority Action spending more than $1.5 million and a new super PAC running attack ads.
- The campaign has been shaped by controversy over Kiros’s past comments on U.S.-Israel policy and a 2023 attack on pro-Israel protesters that left one person dead and about a dozen injured, with investigators saying the attacker planned the assault and targeted Zionist people.
- Colorado’s large unaffiliated electorate and history of electing moderates make it uncertain whether progressive momentum will carry the day, and news outlets frame the fight differently with left-leaning coverage emphasizing movement organizing and right-leaning coverage stressing security and residency concerns.