Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), defeated 15-term incumbent Diana DeGette in Colorado’s Democratic congressional primary. Kiros won with 58,337 votes to DeGette’s 51,459, marking a significant upset in the state’s political landscape.
In the statewide Senate primary, former DSA member Julie Gonzales secured 46.6% of the vote, nearly defeating two-term Senator John Hickenlooper. Senator Michael Bennet, a longtime Washington establishment figure, lost his bid for the Democratic nomination for governor.
Kiros’s victory follows a wave of socialist-backed candidates winning primaries across the U.S., including in New York, Washington D.C., and other major cities. Her platform includes proposals for government-mandated healthcare, universal child care, an “Ultra-Millionaire Tax,” and the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Kiros has also faced criticism for past comments suggesting the U.S. may have invited the 9/11 attacks through its foreign policy. She stated that U.S. actions in the Middle East made the attacks "inevitable." Conservative commentators and Republican figures have condemned these remarks, framing them as evidence of the Democratic Party’s shift toward radicalism.
The primary results reflect broader political radicalization, with socialist candidates gaining traction despite longstanding opposition to socialism in mainstream U.S. politics. Analysts note that economic populism, rather than cultural issues, has been a key driver of this movement.