Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old socialist and vocal critic of Israel, delivered a major upset Tuesday night by defeating 15-term incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) in the Democratic primary.
In the wake of her victory, Kiros made clear she does not plan to back House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for party leadership. “I’m not supporting anyone for leadership who takes corporate PAC money. I’m dead serious about this issue. We have to start setting a standard now,” Kiros, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America who frequently criticized Democratic leaders during her campaign, told Politico.
Her win marks another breakthrough for the party’s left flank, which has increasingly targeted incumbent Democrats in safely blue districts. The trend has also played out in New York City, where three left-wing candidates endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani won their primaries last week.
The string of primary victories could push the House Democratic caucus further left after the midterm elections and may complicate Jeffries’ effort to maintain firm control over party leadership.
Jeffries (D-NY) had voiced support for DeGette ahead of the vote, telling reporters Monday that the longtime Colorado congresswoman — who entered Congress before Kiros was born — was “forcefully making her case” for another term.
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The Brooklyn Democrat also pointed to President Trump as a factor in what he described as an “unsettled electoral environment” affecting incumbents across the party.
“It’s not a surprise that there are highly competitive primaries in deep blue parts of the country that are also unfolding this cycle,” Jeffries said.
Kiros, an Ethiopia-born Ph.D. student and former attorney backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), campaigned on a platform that includes ending U.S. aid to Israel, abolishing ICE, creating universal health care and establishing “publicly financed elections.”
She viral in the weeks after the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack after she as fired from her New York law firm for writing an open letter arguing that calling for the elimination of Israel isn’t antisemitic.
Kiros is expected to cruise in the general election, as Colorado’s 1st District is rated solidly Democratic by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
