Challenger Melat Kiros narrowly defeats 15-term Rep. Diana DeGette in Colorado’s 1st District Democratic primary

Melat Kiros defeated incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette in the Democratic primary for Colorado's 1st Congressional District. Kiros, a 29-year-old democratic socialist running for office for the first time, held 49.3% of the vote compared with 43.5% for DeGette and 7.2% for University of Colorado Regent Wanda James as of 10 p.m.

MT. The district covers Denver and has been represented by DeGette since the mid-1990s. She is the longest-serving member of Colorado's congressional delegation and sits on the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

In 15 prior elections she faced primary challengers five times. Kiros participated in a League of Women Voters candidate forum on May 28 at Montview Presbyterian Church in Denver. At the Denver Democratic Assembly in March she secured 646 delegate votes, or 63% of the total, while DeGette received 336 votes, or 32%.

Kiros told CBS Colorado that polling influenced her decision to run. A September 2025 survey by the Colorado Polling Institute of hundreds of Denver voters found 52% favored socialism and 48% favored capitalism, while 39% held an unfavorable view of socialism versus 47% for capitalism.

"I think it's because we're seeing that the way we've organized our government is really only giving returns to the rich and the powerful," she said.

Kiros' campaign website notes support from the Democratic Socialists of America and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. She will face Republican Christy Peterson in the general election on Nov. 3. Peterson ran unopposed in the Republican primary.