Rep. Diana DeGette Loses Primary to Melat Kiros
Rep. Diana DeGette, a Democrat from Colorado, lost her primary election to Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old democratic socialist challenger. DeGette's loss is the latest in a series of upsets for Democratic incumbents this election cycle.
Rep. Diana DeGette, a Democrat from Colorado, was defeated in her primary election by Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old attorney and PhD student. Kiros led DeGette by nearly 10 percentage points as of Wednesday morning. DeGette's loss comes despite a significant amount of outside spending in her favor from groups tied to the Democratic establishment and AIPAC.
The outcome has left some House Democrats reeling, with one senior House Democrat calling the result a 'wake-up call' for members of Congress. DeGette's defeat is the latest in a series of upsets for Democratic incumbents, following the losses of Reps. Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat in New York last week.
Progressive groups such as the Justice Democrats spent money in support of Kiros, while pro-DeGette outside groups spent more. Kiros's campaign focused on DeGette's support from corporate PACs and her votes in favor of Israel. Some House Democrats have already reached out to Kiros to welcome her to the party, with Rep. Emily Randall saying she looks forward to working with her.
Go Deeper
Who is Melat Kiros?
Melat Kiros is a 29-year-old attorney and PhD student who won the primary election against Rep. Diana DeGette. She is a democratic socialist challenger.
What was the margin of victory for Melat Kiros?
Melat Kiros led Rep. Diana DeGette by nearly 10 percentage points as of Wednesday morning.
How did outside groups influence the election?
Outside groups tied to the Democratic establishment and AIPAC spent a significant amount of money in support of Rep. Diana DeGette, while progressive groups such as the Justice Democrats spent money in support of Melat Kiros.
What issues did Melat Kiros's campaign focus on?
Melat Kiros's campaign focused on Rep. Diana DeGette's support from corporate PACs and her votes in favor of Israel.
How have other House Democrats reacted to the outcome?
Some House Democrats have reached out to Melat Kiros to welcome her to the party, while others have expressed concern about the implications of the election result for the party.
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