On a transformative Tuesday for U.S. progressive politics, 29-year-old Ethiopian immigrant and first-time candidate Melat Kiros secured a historic upset victory, ousting a long-serving Democratic incumbent who had held her congressional seat since before Kiros was born.
A practicing attorney and PhD student affiliated with the Democratic Socialists movement, Kiros claimed the Democratic nomination for Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, which covers the state capital of Denver. Her opponent, Diana DeGette, had held the House seat for 30 years, counting deep support from the state’s Democratic establishment amid Colorado’s long-standing status as a solidly blue state. As of Wednesday morning, DeGette had not issued any public statement acknowledging the primary results across her two social media accounts on X.
By 11 a.m. local time Wednesday, just over 81 percent of ballots had been processed, but the Associated Press, the official organization that calls U.S. election races, projected Kiros as the winner shortly after midnight, confirming that remaining uncounted votes could not close the gap to give DeGette a victory. Over her three decades in Congress, data from watchdog group Aipac Tracker shows DeGette collected more than $1.6 million in campaign support from pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC. In a widely publicized exchange with a voter in March, DeGette bluntly stated, “If the only issue that you care about is this issue, then you should not vote for me,” when questioned about her refusal to co-sponsor the Block the Bombs Act, legislation that would restrict U.S. weapons transfers to Israel.
Kiros, an outspoken critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, is now all but guaranteed to win the November general election in the deep-blue district. She joins a growing cohort of pro-Palestine progressive candidates who have won Democratic primaries across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic in recent election cycles, including candidates from Maine, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, all of whom are heavily favored to win general election bids to take seats in Washington.
In her victory address Tuesday night, Kiros opened up about the personal cost of her political activism, recalling she was fired from her position at global law firm Sidley Austin in 2023 after she spoke out in support of pro-Palestine anti-war protests that spread across U.S. college campuses. “When I wrote a letter defending students’ rights to protest the genocide in Gaza… my law firm told me, take it down or you’re fired,” Kiros told supporters. “I didn’t flinch. I didn’t flinch because I stood by every word, and I always will. But I know that will not be the only moment where those in power will tell me to change my tune, to not rock the boat. That seems to happen a lot in Congress.”
Jewish Voice for Peace, one of the leading progressive organizations that endorsed and supported Kiros’ campaign, released a statement Wednesday noting that large sums of corporate dark money poured into the race in its final weeks to defeat her, with major contributions coming from AIPAC, Amazon and defense contractor Lockheed Martin. The group added that Kiros was falsely smeared as antisemitic over her refusal to stay silent about civilian casualties in Gaza.
The Democratic National Committee, the party’s governing body that typically issues immediate congratulatory statements to primary winning candidates on election night, waited nearly 10 hours after the race was called to acknowledge Kiros’ win. DNC Chair Ken Martin released a formal statement praising the candidate, saying, “Melat Kiros is fighting to make the American dream a reality for the hardworking people of Colorado. She is a tireless advocate within her community and has consistently stood up for her neighbors. In Congress, she will be a fierce champion for expanding access to healthcare, investing in childcare, making housing more affordable, protecting workers’ rights, and ensuring corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share. The DNC is ready to work alongside her to lower costs and deliver for working families.”
The DNC has faced widespread criticism from progressive factions for its approach to the 2024 election, with many observers arguing that the party’s presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ refusal to condemn Israeli military actions in Gaza contributed to her election defeat. The party has also faced backlash for prioritizing long-serving incumbent establishment candidates despite consistent polling showing that younger Democratic Socialist leaders resonate far more with the party’s growing base of young voters. As of June 30, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reports that at least 73,066 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s ongoing military campaign in the enclave.
Independent Vermont Senator and leading progressive voice Bernie Sanders, who endorsed Kiros ahead of the primary, shared his congratulations on X, writing: “The tide is turning. Americans are tired of status quo politics.”