The Democratic Socialists of America is now taking its primary challenges to the Rocky Mountain state, with Tuesday's Colorado primaries representing a new front in the ongoing rift between progressive challengers and center-left party establishment candidates.
What the Left Is Saying
Shannon Jackson, a longtime progressive political strategist known for leadership roles in Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, told Fox News Digital that last week's primary victories signaled voter frustration with the Democratic establishment.
"The key message of the victors: Medicare-for-All, the importance of affordability and a living wage. Progressives have long fought for these values and I expect the primary victories to continue," Jackson emphasized.
The DSA celebrated its New York victories in a social media post last week, writing: "Today, the East Coast, next week the Mountain West."
In Colorado's 1st Congressional District, DSA-backed Melat Kiros is challenging incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette, who was first elected three decades ago. Kiros, a first-time candidate and former attorney born four months after DeGette first took office, is also supported by Justice Democrats, the political group known for backing Squad members Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans are watching the Democratic divide with interest as they seek to maintain their razor-thin House majority in November's midterm elections.
The neighboring 8th Congressional District race could determine whether Republicans hold onto control of the House. State Rep. Manny Rutinel, running to the left of former state Rep. Shannon Bird, would face Republican Rep. Gabe Evans if he wins Tuesday's primary.
"ELECT ANOTHER SOCIALIST TO CONGRESS ON JUNE 30TH," a DSA social media post states as it urges supporters to back the Kiros campaign in Colorado.
What the Numbers Show
Colorado's 1st Congressional District is solidly blue, with then-Vice President Kamala Harris carrying the Denver-anchored seat by 56 points in the 2024 election. The district would remain Democratic regardless of whether DeGette or Kiros wins Tuesday.
In the Senate nomination battle, incumbent Sen. John Hickenlooper, a former Denver mayor and two-term governor at age 74, has seen his once-large polling advantage narrow against former state Sen. Julie Gonzales, 43, who was previously a DSA member. The winner will face Republican state Sen. Mark Baisley in November.
The Democratic gubernatorial primary between Sen. Michael Bennet and state Attorney General Phil Weiser is also scheduled for Tuesday. Weiser has spotlighted suing President Donald Trump 66 times as attorney general to close the gap with Bennet.
The Bottom Line
Colorado's primaries on June 30 will test whether the DSA can replicate its New York playbook in a different region of the country. If Kiros defeats DeGette, it would mark another high-profile incumbent ouster by a progressive challenger backed by democratic socialist organizations.