In a stunning primary upset, Denver's 15-term U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette was defeated by socialist challenger Melat Kiros, who has drawn scrutiny for her comments on terrorism and foreign policy. With 93% of ballots counted, Kiros led by nearly 10 percentage points early Wednesday morning.
A Shift in the Democratic Party?
Kiros' win follows a pattern seen in New York City's recent primaries, where Mayor Zohran Mamdani-backed socialists swept key races. Like those candidates, Kiros criticized her opponent's ties to establishment politics while advocating for progressive policies including a $22 minimum wage and Medicare for All. The Denver district, which hasn't elected a Republican since the 1970s, is all but guaranteed to stay Democratic in November.
Kiros faced backlash for calling the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist strikes "inevitable consequences" of U.S. and Israeli policies. During a May interview with streamer Hasan Piker, she stated: "We destabilized a lot of the Middle East that forced people to believe that another act of violence was the only response." Denver NBC reporter Kyle Clark later asked if she applied the same logic to 9/11. Kiros replied: "Inevitable in the sense that we destabilized a lot of the Middle East that forced people to believe that another act of violence was the only response."
Policy Proposals and Controversies
Her platform includes abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), releasing all ICE detainees, and expanding social safety nets. Kiros has been endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, Justice Democrats, and the Democratic Socialists of America. When three venues canceled a rally featuring Piker, a figure criticized for anti-Semitic remarks, Kiros accused DeGette of using "her donor class to silence us." DeGette called the claim baseless and criticized Kiros' association with Piker, calling him an "infamous anti-semite."