Another democratic socialist swept to victory in a Colorado primary Tuesday, with the now Democratic nominee in Colorado’s First Congressional District, Melat Kiros, defeating a 15-term incumbent, Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Co., in the Denver area district.
As with the three progressive victories in New York City last week, Kiros consolidated a progressive coalition in the safely Democratic district, defeating DeGette, herself a liberal institution in the district, by nearly 10-points as of Wednesday morning.
Kiros’s campaign was backed by a now-familiar array of institutions, such as the Democratic Socialists of America, well known for its ability to turn out grassroots-level volunteers, and the Justice Democrats, which has stood behind progressive insurgents going as far back as 2018. The race also featured a stark generational juxtaposition, with DeGette, 68, having held public office since well before Kiros, 29, was even born.
The race, however, has broader implications for the future of left-wing politics in the U.S., with Kiros’ victory putting to rest any notion that the progressive wave sweeping across the country might be limited to New York City.
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The progressive victory in Denver, however, also means that a potential Democratic majority in the House is likely to feature a majority-making coalition of left-wing progressives. As it stands, there are two DSA-endorsed members of Congress, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. After this year’s election, there is almost certain to be five, due to the wins in Colorado and New York alone. The coalition on the Democratic Party’s left wing, however, will be significantly larger, though its exact size depends on how the group is counted.
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