Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old democratic socialist, has defeated 15-term incumbent U.S. Representative Diana DeGette in the Democratic primary for Colorado's First Congressional District. The race, centered in the reliably blue Denver area, saw the political newcomer unseat DeGette, who had served in Congress for three decades.
Kiros, a former attorney who moved to the U.S. from Ethiopia as a baby, previously faced controversy after being fired for refusing to remove a post criticizing law firms' stances on Israel and Palestine. During her campaign, she criticized Democrats who support Israel and has described Israel's actions in Gaza as genocide. She also faced criticism for her alliance with socialist political commentator Hasan Piker.
With 78% of the vote counted, media projections show Kiros holding a nearly 7,000-vote lead. Given the overwhelmingly Democratic nature of the district, she is favored to win the general election in November.
Kiros's victory is the latest in a series of wins for insurgent leftists over establishment Democrats this primary season. Similar results occurred in New York City, where three candidates with ties to the Democratic Socialists of America and endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani won their primaries, including the unseating of two Democratic congressional incumbents.