Melat Kiros projected to defeat Diana DeGette in Colorado Congressional primary

Challenger Melat Kiros, a democratic socialist, is the projected winner of the Democratic primary in Colorado's First Congressional District. The upset win for Kiros means the district, which covers Denver, will be represented by someone other than Rep. Diana DeGette for the first time since the mid-1990s. Melat Kiros participated in a League of Women Voters Congressional District 1 candidate forum at Montview Presbyterian Church on May 28, 2026, in Denver. RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images Kiros, 29, has never run for a political office before. As of 10 p.m. MT, Kiros had 49.3% of the vote, incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette had 43.5% of the vote and University of Colorado Regent Wanda James had 7.2% of the vote. During the election cycle, Kiros told CBS Colorado she decided to run for office in part because she says she's "seen polling that Denverites are more in favor of socialism than they are to capitalism." She made references to a September 2025 survey by the Colorado Polling Institute of hundreds of Denver voters. Of those surveyed, 52% said they favored socialism, and 48% said they favored capitalism. That same study found 39% held an unfavorable view of socialism, versus 47% with an unfavorable view of capitalism. …