DeGette won't back down in competitive Dem primary
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U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
For nearly three decades, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette's congressional seat has been a virtual lock. Now, she must fend off two younger Democratic challengers trying to end her career in Washington.
Why it matters: The 1st Congressional District primary race is testing whether the incumbent's long tenure remains an asset in a Democratic Party that seems increasingly open to generational change.
State of play: The primary winner is all but certain to represent the district, a safely blue seat DeGette has represented since 1997.
Context: DeGette enters the race with major advantages in name recognition, fundraising and incumbency.
- But before she can return to Washington, she'll have to defeat progressive Melat Kiros and University of Colorado Regent Wanda James.
Zoom in: DeGette is campaigning on protecting abortion rights and confronting President Trump while backing progressive policies, including Medicare for All and abolishing ICE.
- She says she'll introduce legislation during the first week of the next session to codify abortion rights in federal law.
What they're saying: DeGette argues Democrats must be willing to confront Trump directly.
- "The Republicans [have] become a cult; they support Donald Trump even when it's not in their constituents' best interest," DeGette tells us.
The intrigue: Kiros has made DeGette's longevity in Washington a central line of attack.
- DeGette points to maternal mortality research, methane-emissions limits and the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act — which she says helped pave the way for COVID-19 vaccines — as evidence of her effectiveness.
Between the lines: Anti-establishment energy inside the Democratic Party is creating openings for challengers across the country.
- Gov. John Hickenlooper's former chief of staff Doug Friednash tells us that dynamic helps explain why DeGette is facing multiple opponents.
The bottom line: It's DeGette's seat to lose.
- Friednash cites DeGette's fundraising advantage and name recognition as key reasons she's the favorite.