Colorado Primaries: Outsiders Defeat Incumbents in Wave
Colorado’s June 30 primary elections delivered a seismic shock to the Democratic establishment, as outsider and progressive candidates scored decisive victories across multiple races — continuing a national anti-incumbent wave that is reshaping the party ahead of the November midterms. The most consequential result came in Denver’s 1st Congressional District, where 29-year-old democratic socialist Melat Kiros defeated 15-term incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette, while state Attorney General Phil Weiser thwarted Sen. Michael Bennet’s bid for governor.
The Biggest Upset: A Gen Z Socialist Unseats a 30-Year Incumbent
Melat Kiros, a former lawyer and doctoral student, defeated DeGette 51% to 42% with 78% of votes counted, according to Roll Call. The victory is particularly striking given that DeGette was first elected in 1996 — the year before Kiros was born. Kiros, who is poised to become the first Gen Z woman in Congress, centered her campaign on generational change and fierce opposition to U.S. military support for Israel.
“Denver voters of all ages, of all races, of all religions sent a clear message: We will not wait,” Kiros told supporters at her victory party. “We will not wait to take the fight to Donald Trump and the oligarchy, we will not wait to abolish ICE and pass ‘Medicare for All.’”
Kiros was fired from her New York law firm after refusing to remove a post criticizing law firms’ stances on Israel and Palestine. She was backed by Justice Democrats, the Democratic Socialists of America, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and left-wing streamer Hasan Piker.
Governor’s Race: Weiser Overcomes Bennet’s 31-Point Lead
In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser defeated Sen. Michael Bennet 55% to 45%, according to The Denver Post. The result was a stunning reversal: Bennet had led by 31 points in polls just a year earlier, backed by $11.4 million in outside spending — nearly half from Michael Bloomberg.
Weiser, a former Obama administration official who has filed more than 64 lawsuits against the Trump administration, successfully framed the race as a referendum on who would fight Trump more aggressively. He criticized Bennet for voting to confirm several of Trump’s Cabinet nominees.
“For over a year, the establishment, pundits and so many others said this wouldn’t be a race at all — it would be a coronation,” Weiser said. “They counted us out, and they underestimated all of you.”
Hickenlooper Survives — But Shows Establishment Vulnerability
Not every incumbent fell. Sen. John Hickenlooper, a former governor and Denver mayor, fended off a progressive challenge from state Sen. Julie Gonzales, leading by approximately 11 points. Hickenlooper dramatically outspent Gonzales — raising nearly $8 million to her less than $1 million — and moved left on key issues, including calling for an overhaul of ICE. As Al Jazeera reported, his survival suggests that incumbents can still win if they run strong campaigns and strategically reposition themselves.
A Key Battleground: The 8th District
In the battleground 8th Congressional District, state Rep. Manny Rutinel won the Democratic nomination decisively, defeating moderate former state Rep. Shannon Bird 61% to 34%. Rutinel, the son of a Dominican immigrant, will face vulnerable GOP incumbent Rep. Gabe Evans in November in a race rated a toss-up that could determine control of the House.
“Tonight has shown that the son of a single mom who grew up working at McDonald’s and filling out food stamp and Medicaid forms can go on to become an economist in the US Army Corps of Engineers, serve in the Colorado legislature, and now become the nominee for Congress,” Rutinel said.
Big Money’s Bad Night
A defining theme of Tuesday’s results was the failure of massive spending to protect incumbents. Despite $11.4 million in outside backing for Bennet and significant super PAC spending for DeGette, both lost. Dark-money group One Main Street spent over $3 million on statehouse races but saw most of its preferred candidates defeated.
Usamah Andrabi, spokesperson for Justice Democrats, told The Intercept that the establishment “hate that they can no longer simply spend unlimited sums of money to buy a seat in Congress, and we are truly proving that organized people power and mass movements can beat the money.”
What It Means for November
The Colorado results follow similar upsets in New York the previous week, where three DSA-backed candidates ousted incumbent House members. The wave is fueled by generational frustration, opposition to the Gaza war, and an anti-Trump resistance movement. Republicans are already seizing on the results, with the NRCC arguing that “radicals are taking over battleground districts.”
Kiros is heavily favored in November in the deep-blue Denver district. Weiser enters the general election as the favorite in blue Colorado. But the most consequential race may be Rutinel vs. Evans in the 8th District — a contest that will test whether the progressive wave can win in purple territory and help Democrats flip the House.