DeGette loses reelection bid to DSA challenger in major upset for Denver-based House seat
Key takeaways
- University of Colorado Regent Wanda James also ran in the Democratic primary.
- Kiros s win suggests that Democratic voters are so frustrated with the status quo and their party that they re even willing to oust some of their most progressive members in Congress.
- DeGette argued that she had the experience needed to do the job and that the party shouldn t take a gamble on a newcomer.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
Diana De Gette (D-Colo.) is projected to lose her reelection bid to former attorney and current Ph D student Melat Kiros, marking the third time that a democratic socialist has scored an upset in a competitive House primary this cycle, according to Decision Desk HQ.
Kiros, who studies at the University of Denver, defeated De Gette, who s served in Congress since 1997 — delivering a major blow to the Democratic establishment despite the fact that DeGette herself was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. University of Colorado Regent Wanda James also ran in the Democratic primary.
The Democratic contest for the Denver-based seat comes on the heels of New York s congressional races last week, where two democratic socialists who were backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D), Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier, won their House primaries in the city.