Democratic socialist Melat Kiros wins Colorado primary over long-time incumbent

Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old former lawyer who immigrated from Ethiopia, secured the Democratic nomination for Colorado's Denver-area congressional district, unseating 15-term incumbent Diana DeGette. Media outlets called the race after 78 percent of votes were counted, showing Kiros with a lead of roughly 7,000 votes.

Kiros, identified with the Democratic Socialists of America, faced criticism for her comments on U.S. support for Israel and her association with socialist commentator Hasan Piker. She was dismissed from a previous job after refusing to delete a post that criticized law firms' positions on the Israel-Palestine issue.

The victory adds to a series of primary wins by candidates linked to the Democratic Socialists of America, including three in New York City endorsed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani. In other Colorado races, Attorney General Phil Weiser defeated Senator Michael Bennet for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, and State Representative Manny Rutinel won the Democratic nod to challenge Republican Rep. Gabe Evans in a competitive district.

"I stood up to the Trump administration in court, fighting the funding freeze and defending birthright citizenship," Weiser said after his primary win.

Kiros is now favored to win the general election in a district that has consistently voted Democratic.