Melat Kiros, a democratic socialist, has emerged as the projected winner of the Democratic primary for Colorado’s First Congressional District. This district, which includes Denver, will now be represented by someone other than Rep. Diana DeGette for the first time since the mid-1990s.
Melat Kiros, aged 29, is new to political office. With votes counted as of 10 p.m. MT, Kiros achieved 49.3% of the vote. The incumbent, Rep. Diana DeGette, received 43.5%, while University of Colorado Regent Wanda James had 7.2% of the vote.
Kiros shared with CBS Colorado that her decision to run was influenced by her observation that Denverites prefer socialism over capitalism. This conclusion was drawn from a survey by the Colorado Polling Institute in September 2025. According to the survey, 52% of participants favored socialism, while 48% supported capitalism. Additionally, 39% of voters viewed socialism unfavorably, compared to 47% who held an unfavorable view of capitalism.
Kiros stated, “I think it’s because we’re seeing that the way we’ve organized our government is really only giving returns to the rich and the powerful because they’re the ones with the means to influence it.”
Her campaign has been endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America and Sen. Bernie Sanders from Vermont. Kiros’ success in the primary follows her strong performance at the Democratic assemblies, where she secured 646 delegate votes, amounting to 63% of the total. DeGette received 336 votes, or 32%, at the Denver Democratic Assembly in March.
Colorado Democratic strategist Mike Dino commented on the unexpected nature of DeGette’s performance, highlighting her significant name recognition and congressional experience. He expressed surprise at her low showing and her lack of a backup plan to gather necessary signatures to secure a ballot position.
DeGette, who serves on the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce, is the longest-serving member of Colorado’s congressional delegation. Over her 15 elections, she encountered primary challenges on five occasions.
Kiros is set to face Republican candidate Christy Peterson, who ran unopposed, in the upcoming general election on Nov. 3.
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