Progressive challenger tests DeGette's hold
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Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Courtesy of the Melat Kiros campaign.
U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette's iron grip on the Denver seat she's held for nearly three decades faces its most formidable challenge in years from progressive newcomer Melat Kiros.
Why it matters: Kiros, a democratic socialist, aims to unseat Colorado's longest-serving Congress member — a potential upset that could signal a broader progressive push to topple establishment Democrats nationwide.
State of play: DeGette has easily dispatched past primary challengers in Colorado's safely blue 1st Congressional District.
Yes, but: Kiros' rise is turning the race into a test case for incumbents facing an electorate increasingly hungry for change, experts tell us.
- Her message, grounded in affordability, is resonating with voters who are frustrated with politicians seen as prioritizing billionaires over everyday people, said Wynn Howell, state director of the progressive group Working Families Power.
- Younger voters in particular want to vote for a candidate they support rather than simply voting against President Trump, said Denae Avila-Dickson, a spokesperson for the youth climate advocacy group Sunrise Movement, which endorsed Kiros last month.
- Casting an opposition vote alone is not "exciting or compelling," Avila-Dickson adds.
The intrigue: DeGette — whose time in Congress exceeds Kiros' age — previously told Axios the Democratic Party needs "fresh blood."
- Still, Howell and other experts we spoke to say this race isn't about age.
- "It's less about physical age, more about ideas and approach," Howell added, noting the ideological alignment between 84-year-old Bernie Sanders and 28-year-old Kiros.
Between the lines: Kiros secured a top slot in the June primary by earning more than twice as many votes as DeGette at last week's district assembly.
- "I promise to be present in this community, not just at election time," Kiros said during last week's nomination process.
Reality check: Assembly voters tend to be the most politically engaged — not necessarily representative of the district's more than 700,000 residents.
- Still, local Democratic strategist Alvina Vasquez said DeGette, a 15-term congresswoman, may have grown complacent, leading to last week's results.
The other side: Not everyone is convinced Kiros poses a serious threat, or that her policies will resonate broadly.
- Prominent local attorney Doug Friednash wrote in an opinion column that Kiros' record is "extreme and radical," and out of step with Colorado Democrats.
- Vasquez added that Kiros faces an uphill climb through June, noting Denver is less uniformly progressive than it's often perceived — a dynamic that has long worked in DeGette's favor.
- "Every day we hear from Denver voters about their strong support for Diana DeGette and her efforts to fight Donald Trump," campaign spokesperson Jennie Peek-Dunstone said in a statement.
What's were watching: Whether the race draws more outside spending, including from groups like AIPAC and organizations tied to crypto and AI interests, which have poured millions into similar races.