Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old political newcomer and self-described democratic socialist, has defeated 15-term incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette in a primary election for Colorado's 1st Congressional District. Kiros, who is Ethiopian-born, gained traction with a platform critical of Israel and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), aligning with a growing left-wing sentiment within the Democratic Party.
Kiros's victory is seen as a significant upset, particularly given DeGette's long tenure and progressive voting record. Kiros has vowed to push the Democratic Party further left and indicated she would not support Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for speaker. Her campaign highlighted key policy positions such as supporting Medicare for All, a modified Green New Deal, and reducing Pentagon spending by 10%.
During her campaign, Kiros made several statements that drew attention. She described the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks as an "inevitable consequence of apartheid," though she later clarified her remarks were not intended to justify the violence. She also suggested that the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were an "inevitable consequence" of U.S. foreign policy. Kiros also faced local controversy for her comments on a firebombing incident at a Jewish gathering, where she hesitated to label it as antisemitic, stating it was not "entirely obvious that it was just motivated by antisemitism."
Kiros's political views largely crystallized during her time in law school at Notre Dame in the early 2020s. She has been a vocal critic of capitalism, stating that "capitalism is responsible for a lot of the degradation that we're seeing in our economy." Her career path included a role as a regulatory and enforcement associate at the law firm Sidley Austin in New York, where she claimed she was fired for an open letter criticizing law firms for cracking down on antisemitism on college campuses. She wrote that such actions make firms "complicit in Israel’s weaponization of anti-Semitism against legitimate concerns for the right of self-determination and the livelihood of the Palestinian people."
After leaving Sidley Austin, Kiros returned to Colorado, where her family had immigrated when she was an infant. She enrolled in a PhD program in public policy and worked as a barista before launching her primary challenge against DeGette. Her candidacy gained support from groups like the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), which have been active in supporting left-wing challengers against incumbent Democrats.
If Kiros wins the general election in November, she would become one of the first Gen. Z women to serve in Congress. Her primary victory reflects a broader trend of socialist candidates winning Democratic primaries in various states.