Colorado's primary elections Tuesday will serve as a critical test of whether the Democratic Party's establishment can hold its ground against a new wave of progressive challengers emboldened by recent victories elsewhere. The results could signal whether the anti-establishment momentum that upended races in New York last week is spreading into new territory or remains confined to specific political moments.
The most closely watched contest pits veteran Rep. Diana DeGette against Melot Kiros, a 29-year-old doctoral student and former lawyer who immigrated from Ethiopia as a child. DeGette has represented Colorado's 1st District for nearly three decades and has scrambled to shore up her progressive credentials by highlighting her role as an impeachment manager during Donald Trump's second Senate trial and her support for Medicare for All and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
But Kiros has built considerable momentum. She's backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, Justice Democrats, the Democratic Socialists of America, and several candidates who pulled off successful insurgent campaigns elsewhere. Justice Democrats alone has poured more than $500,000 into her campaign, while DeGette's allies have countered with over $2 million in outside spending. The intensity of the financial battle reflects how seriously both camps view the race in the wake of the New York primaries.
Israel's conflict with Gaza has become a central issue in the race. Kiros has said she was fired from her previous job after publishing a letter critical of law firms' response to Gaza protests. When questioned by NBC affiliate KUSA about her characterization of Hamas' attack as "the inevitable consequence of apartheid," she faced sharp scrutiny. She also declined to say whether a firebombing attack on pro-Israel demonstrators in Boulder was antisemitic, a non-answer that opponents have seized upon.
Two other statewide races showcase the same establishment-versus-insurgent dynamics playing out across the state. In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, Sen. Michael Bennet faces a formidable challenge from Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. The race has turned increasingly negative, with both campaigns and their surrogates trading attacks over who has taken a stronger stance against Trump. The winner will almost certainly become governor of a state trending blue. If Bennet prevails, he'll retain the power to appoint his Senate successor.
Meanwhile, Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper is defending his seat against state Sen. Julie Gonzales, a former member of the Democratic Socialists of America who argues he represents outdated party politics. The 43-year-old challenger has criticized Hickenlooper, 74, for voting to confirm 10 of Trump's Cabinet nominees. Hickenlooper has heavily outfunded and outspent Gonzales, though he easily rebuffed a more liberal primary opponent in 2020.
House Races Take Center Stage
Colorado's 8th District represents the most competitive House battleground in the state. The seat flipped Republican by less than a point in 2024, and Trump carried it by fewer than 2 points. Two Democrats are competing for the chance to challenge GOP freshman Rep. Gabe Evans in November: former state Rep. Shannon Bird and state Rep. Manny Rutinel.
Rutinel has outraised his opponent and leaned heavily on his family's immigrant narrative to appeal to a district with a substantial Latino population. He's backed by labor unions and former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, a respected state Democrat. Bird, by contrast, is positioning herself as a centrist moderate who can capture swing voters, with endorsements from EMILY's List and groups like New Dems and Blue Dog PAC. The Democratic primary winner will face what's expected to be one of the nation's tightest general election races; only nine House contests nationally have drawn more fall ad spending.
In the Republican primary for Colorado's 3rd District, GOP Rep. Jeff Hurd faces a challenge from former state Rep. Ron Hanks, a retired Air Force intelligence officer who promoted false claims about the 2020 election and attended the Capitol on January 6. Hurd has raised over $3 million compared to Hanks' $42,000, and defeated him by 14 points in the 2024 primary. Trump's endorsement of Hurd has been volatile: the president rescinded it when Hurd opposed tariffs and backed a rival, then reversed course and re-endorsed him a month later. Hurd defeated Hanks decisively four years ago and enters Tuesday as the clear frontrunner.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Colorado's results will tell Democrats whether their establishment infrastructure can survive the new energy on the left, or whether the anti-Washington mood is now a permanent feature of their primary electorate."
Comments