Democratic socialist Kiros defeats longtime incumbent in Colorado primary
Key takeaways
- Former lawyer Melat Kiros, 29, has criticised the Democrats for their support of Israel during its genocidal war on Gaza.
- The race on Tuesday was called by multiple media outlets after 78 percent of the votes were counted and Kiros had a nearly 7,000-vote lead over DeGette.
- Kiros, who moved to the US from Ethiopia as a baby, had faced controversy over her criticism of Democrats who support Israel and her alliance with socialist political commentator Hasan Piker.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Former lawyer Melat Kiros, 29, has criticised the Democrats for their support of Israel during its genocidal war on Gaza.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Democratic congressional candidate Melat Kiros speaks after winning the Democratic nomination during a primary election night watch party on June 30, 2026, in Denver, Colorado [Rebecca Slezak/AP]By Reuters Published On 1 Jul 20261 Jul 2026Democratic socialist Melat Kiros has defeated 15-term United States Representative Diana DeGette in the Democratic primary in a Denver-area district in Colorado, according to US media projections, the latest victory of a leftist over an establishment Democrat.
The race on Tuesday was called by multiple media outlets after 78 percent of the votes were counted and Kiros had a nearly 7,000-vote lead over DeGette.