Anti-establishment momentum was clear in Colorado on Tuesday night, as primary election results rolling in indicate voters are leaning against the old guard. Voters generally favored more progressive-leaning candidates down the ballot, including in the 8th Congressional District, where state Rep. Manny Rutinel, who has drawn comparisons to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, defeated former state Rep. Shannon Bird in the Democratic primary. That wasn’t the case everywhere, as evidenced in Colorado’s 5th Congressional District, where Army veteran Jessica Killin won her Democratic primary after signing onto a document affirming centrist principles and rebuking the socialist agenda.
Their victories have spread to Colorado’s 1st Congressional District in Denver, where Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) suffered a resounding defeat to 29-year-old socialist Melat Kiros, backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT). DeGette lost, 51.3% to 41.7%, despite being a 15-term incumbent and member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.Kiros is a left-wing candidate who has been accused of antisemitism. The former attorney was fired for writing a letter criticizing the idea that calling for Israel’s elimination was antisemitic. In another race for secretary of state, the candidate backed by the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America easily defeated state Sen. Jessie Danielson.Amanda Gonzalez secured the victory, 63.5% to 36.5%, after serving as Jefferson County clerk and recorder since 2023. Gonzalez is also the former executive director of the voting rights group Colorado Common Cause.Democratic voters are unhappy with the establishment
