WASHINGTON ― Democratic socialist Melat Kiros is projected to win Tuesday’s Democratic primary in Colorado’s 1st congressional district, unseating 15-term Rep. Diana DeGette.Kiros, a 29-year-old lawyer and PhD student, ran to the left of DeGette in this solidly Democratic district that encompasses most of Denver. A political newcomer backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and progressive groups like Justice Democrats, she campaigned on a message of affordability, Medicare for All, abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and supporting universal childcare.Kiros’s victory comes after a wave of similar primary wins in New York last week by young and more progressive candidates taking on the establishment. Democratic voters have been showing a desire for generational change within their party, and younger voters are looking for leaders to the left of the establishment on issues such as wealth inequality and foreign policy.This certainly appears to be a factor in why Democratic voters sided with Kiros, who was born months after DeGette first became a congresswoman in 1997. DeGette, 68, is also progressive and, as a senior member of Congress, holds significant sway with her seat on the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce. But in an early sign of trouble for her campaign, DeGette earned just 32% of the vote at Democrats’ Denver County assembly in March ― nearly missing the ballot entirely. Kiros walked away with a whopping 63% of the vote.In the final weeks of the campaign, super PACs backing DeGette dropped $1.3 million into the race in last-minute attack ads against Kiros, accusing her of dividing Democrats and making statements “laced with antisemitism.”Kiros, who was raised in Denver after her family immigrated from Ethiopia, was working at the New York office of law firm Sidley Austin in 2023 when she published an open letter defending university students protesting Israel’s war on Gaza. When her employer asked her to take it down, she refused and was ultimately fired over it. That led her back to Denver, where she worked as a barista and became more involved in politics.“The ‘any Democrat will do’ era is over,” reads Kiros’ campaign website. “When I spoke out against the genocide in Gaza, powerful people told me to stay silent or it would cost me my job. I didn’t back down. Now I’ll do the same in Congress.”RelatedColorado2026 electionsdemocratic socialismMelat Kiros