As the Democratic Party hopes to regain control of Congress in November’s midterm elections, the party is also engaged in an internal competition between its centrists and progressives. In the midst of this primary season, the Democratic Socialists of America has scored several upset victories against more established Democratic candidates. Now, in Colorado, another DSA candidate has won her primary and is poised to be one of the youngest members of Congress next year.
Kiros defeats incumbent Democrat in another DSA victory
Challenger Melat Kiros has been projected as the winner of the Democratic primary to represent Colorado’s 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Kiros, a 29-year-old Ph.D. student born in Ethiopia, defeated sitting Rep. Diana DeGette, who has represented the district since 1997.
Kiros is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, and the race between the two largely hinged on which candidate could best convince voters in the liberal district of their progressive credentials. Kiros positioned herself as politically independent, eschewing corporate donations and support from pro-Israel organizations. While DeGette presented herself as a progressive on issues such as health care and the environment, Kiros depicted the sitting congresswoman as a political insider who took money from the pharmaceutical and defense industries.
The win for Kiros represents another victory for the Democratic Socialists of America, which has seen a string of victories in Democratic Party politics.
Two DSA members currently hold seats in Congress: New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib. Zohran Mamdani has become one of the most prominent faces of the DSA since becoming mayor of New York City, and a trio of current or former DSA members endorsed by Mamdani recently swept Democratic congressional primaries in New York City.
The prominence of DSA members and other anti-establishment candidates in Democratic primaries has drawn opposition from members of the Democratic Party establishment, who have accused these candidates of using Democratic resources and infrastructure while publicly criticizing the party.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Kiros will likely be elected in November, given the heavily Democratic electorate in the 1st District. Her election, along with the likely wins of the New York candidates in their similarly Democratic districts, would more than double the number of DSA members in Congress.
Kiros set to represent progressives and Gen Z in Congress
The clash between Kiros and DeGette was not just one of ideology but also of generations. Kiros was months away from being born when DeGette was first elected to represent the 1st District in 1996.
Kiros was born in Ethiopia but moved with her family to the United States as an infant, growing up in the Denver area. She is a graduate of Washington College in Maryland and earned a law degree from the University of Notre Dame.
Kiros was fired from a major law firm after refusing to remove a post supporting pro-Palestinian student protests and criticizing how law firms had responded to the demonstrations.
Now a Ph.D. student, Kiros is one of several Gen Z candidates running for Congress or state legislative office. If she wins in November, she would be one of the youngest women in Congress.
While Kiros’ victory may be framed as part of an ideological and generational conflict within the Democratic Party, she claimed a broad mandate from her victory.
“Denver voters of all ages, of all races, of all religions sent a clear message: We will not wait!” Kiros said in her victory speech after Tuesday’s win.
Kiros made a string of pledges for her upcoming congressional career.
“We will not wait to abolish ICE and pass Medicare for All,” Kiros told the crowd during her victory speech. “We will not wait to put an end to the politics of the past, to get big money out of our politics, and to reject corporate PACs and AIPAC. And no, we will not wait to end the genocide in Palestine,” she announced to cheers.
Whether Kiros and her Democratic socialist colleagues will be able to fulfill their policy promises in Washington, D.C., remains to be seen. But the victories of Kiros and other DSA members show there is support for their message and voters willing to give them a chance rather than continue supporting established Democrats.