The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has focused its attention on Colorado, where several upcoming primaries in the predominantly Democratic state represent the latest front in the ideological contest between the far left and the party's mainstream establishment.
A National Strategy: DSA Eyes the Mountain West
Following recent ballot-box successes in New York City congressional primaries, the DSA signaled its expansion, stating on social media last week, "Today, the East Coast, next week the Mountain West." These victories included Darializa Avila Chevalier, a 32-year-old progressive community organizer, unseating incumbent Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat, who chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Additionally, state Assembly Member Claire Valdez, another democratic socialist, secured a congressional primary win against a candidate backed by the establishment.
These triumphs, significantly bolstered by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is aligned with democratic socialist causes, have invigorated the far left in its high-stakes confrontation with the center-left establishment over the Democratic Party's future direction.
The DSA aims to replicate this strategy nationwide, beginning with Tuesday's Democratic primary in Colorado's 1st Congressional District. This reliably Democratic seat, centered in Denver, saw then-Vice President Kamala Harris win by a substantial 56 points in the 2024 election.
Key Congressional Battles in Colorado
Incumbent Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette, first elected to Congress three decades ago, faces two primary challengers. Among them is Melat Kiros, a first-time candidate and former attorney supported by the DSA. Kiros was born just four months after DeGette initially took office.
Kiros, who lost her legal position in New York after authoring an essay critical of Israel, also has the backing of Justice Democrats. This political organization, nearly a decade old, is renowned for its strong support of "Squad" members like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib, who successfully unseated long-serving incumbents in their initial congressional campaigns. A DSA social media post encouraged supporters to assist the Kiros campaign, declaring, "ELECT ANOTHER SOCIALIST TO CONGRESS ON JUNE 30TH."
The internal divisions within the Democratic Party will also manifest in the primary for the adjacent 8th Congressional District, which spans the I-25 corridor north of Denver. State Representative Manny Rutinel is campaigning from a more progressive stance than former state Representative Shannon Bird. The primary winner will advance to challenge Republican Rep. Gabe Evans, who secured the seat in the 2024 cycle. This particular contest is considered one of two to three dozen races that could determine whether the Republican Party maintains its narrow House majority in the upcoming midterms.
Immigration has emerged as a critical issue in this Democratic primary, especially in a district where approximately 40% of the population identifies as Latino. Rutinel has criticized Bird for her vote last year against a measure that would have limited cooperation between local and state law enforcement agencies and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Statewide Contests: Senate and Gubernatorial Primaries
Another primary contest showcasing the split between progressives and moderates, alongside a generational divide, is the Senate nomination race. Incumbent Senator John Hickenlooper, 74, is challenged by 43-year-old former state Senator Julie Gonzales, a progressive who was once a DSA member. Hickenlooper, previously Denver's mayor and a two-term governor, has seen his once-considerable lead over Gonzales diminish. The victor of this primary will confront Republican state Senator Mark Baisley, who faces no opposition in his own primary.
Meanwhile, the state's highly competitive and costly Democratic gubernatorial primary features Senator Michael Bennet against state Attorney General Phil Weiser. Either Bennet or Weiser is expected to be the clear favorite in the general election to succeed two-term Democratic Governor Jared Polis, who made history as the nation's first openly gay man elected governor.
Weiser, who positions himself to Bennet's left on certain policy matters, has narrowed the gap with the senator by highlighting his actions against former President Donald Trump, including filing 66 lawsuits against Trump during his tenure as attorney general. The winner of this primary will face one of three Republican nominees: state Representative Scott Bottoms, state Senator Barb Kirkmeyer, or pastor and Marine Corps veteran Victor Marx.
An unnamed progressive observer highlighted the central tenets of the successful candidates' campaigns: "Medicare-for-All, the importance of affordability and a living wage." This source further asserted, "Progressives have long fought for these values and I expect the primary victories to continue."