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D Democratic · U.S. House 1, Colorado · Nov 3, 2026

Melat
Kiros

Democratic Socialist nominee for Colorado's 1st Congressional District who upset 15-term Rep. Diana DeGette in the 2026 primary

Researched checked 7 d ago
sources
24
positions
10
endorsements
16
kirosforco.com ↗(opens in a new tab) X(opens in a new tab)Facebook(opens in a new tab)
Opponents Chad Humphrey L+ 2 more Compare race →

Background

Melat Kiros is a Democratic Socialist candidate running for Colorado's 1st Congressional District in the November 2026 general election. She defeated 15-term incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette in the June 30, 2026 Democratic primary, a result widely reported as a major upset for the progressive movement. [3, 6, 10]

Kiros grew up in the Aurora/Denver area and studied political science and economics at Washington College before earning a law degree from the University of Notre Dame in 2022. She subsequently worked as a securities regulation and enforcement associate at Sidley Austin in New York, then returned to Colorado, where she works as a barista while pursuing a doctorate in public policy. [3, 8, 9, 14]

Backed by Justice Democrats, Kiros ran on a democratic socialist platform focused on affordability, housing, and economic issues in her hometown. The Denver Post describes her as a first-time candidate. [2, 3, 5]

Kiros faces Republican and third-party opponents in the November 3 general election for the heavily Democratic seat. She is not yet the sitting congresswoman. [8, 12]

At a glance

Party
Democratic
Running for
U.S. House · District 1, Colorado
Election
Nov 3, 2026
Website
kirosforco.com(opens in a new tab)

Where they stand

Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.

Timeline

  1. Oct 7
    endorsement
    AFGE endorses Melat Kiros among four Colorado House candidates

    The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest federal employee union, announced its endorsement of Kiros, saying she and the other endorsed candidates would support federal workers and their rights.

    Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses 4 Candidates ... · Oct 7, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  2. Oct 6
    endorsement
    Denver Gazette editorial board endorses Kiros's opponent Shimon Blau over Kiros

    The Denver Gazette editorial board endorsed unaffiliated candidate Shimon Blau, criticizing Kiros's positions and rhetoric. These characterizations reflect the editorial board's views, not neutral findings.

    Vote Shimon Blau — to pull CD-1 back from the brink · Oct 6, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  3. Oct 3
    debate
    Kiros participates in Denver Decides Candidate Forum hosted by League of Women Voters

    The League of Women Voters of Denver and Denver Inter Neighborhood Cooperation listed Kiros among the CD-1 candidates for a live-broadcast forum. No transcript or detailed account of what was said was available in the sources reviewed.

    Denver Decides Candidate Forum - presented by the League of ... · Oct 3, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  4. Sep 23
    endorsement
    End Citizens United endorses Melat Kiros in Colorado's 1st Congressional District

    End Citizens United endorsed Kiros as part of its 'Unrig Washington' program, citing her opposition to corporate PAC money, support for a congressional stock-trading ban, and commitment to addressing dark money in elections.

    End Citizens United Endorses Melat Kiros in Colorado's 1st ... · Sep 23, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  5. Sep 21
    news
    Kiros states she will not vote for U.S. funding to Israel in CPR interview

    Kiros said she would not vote for U.S. funding to Israel while supporting humanitarian aid for people in Palestine and elsewhere, stating: 'I will not send a dollar to any country that doesn't protect democratic values.'

    Melat Kiros, 1st Congressional District candidate · Sep 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  6. Sep 21
    news
    Kiros discusses affordability, housing, healthcare, and political influence in CPR interview

    Kiros said she would focus on building housing and programs to help people afford existing housing. She reiterated support for Medicare for All, limits on lobbying, a ban on congressional stock trading, and publicly financed elections.

    Melat Kiros, 1st Congressional District candidate · Sep 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  7. Sep 4
    filing
    Five candidates certified for the CD-1 general-election ballot, including Kiros

    The Secretary of State's certified list included Kiros, Republican Christy Peterson, Libertarian Chad Humphrey, Unity Party candidate Critter Milton, and unaffiliated candidate Shimon Blau, who qualified by petition after Kiros's primary win.

    Colorado's 1st congressional district — 2026 candidates · Sep 14, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  8. Jun 30
    news
    Melat Kiros wins Democratic primary, defeating 15-term incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette

    Kiros defeated Rep. Diana DeGette in the Democratic primary to become the Democratic nominee for Colorado's 1st Congressional District. The Hill reported she raised more than $1 million for the primary campaign, compared with DeGette's $1.6 million.

    Melat Kiros, 1st Congressional District candidate · Sep 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

Endorsements

  • Colorado WINS Political Committee union
    Lists Kiros as its endorsed candidate for U.S. House District 1; no specific date given. coloradowins.org
  • Sunrise Movement organization
    Reported as an endorser; specific announcement date not established in sources. coloradopolitics.com
  • Our Revolution organization
    Endorsement page lists Kiros and states the group is proud to endorse her; no specific date given. ourrevolution.com
  • Colorado Working Families Party organization
    Lists Kiros among its 2026 primary endorsements; no specific date given. workingfamilies.org
  • Cobalt Advocates organization
    Lists Kiros as endorsed for CO-01; no specific endorsement date given. cobaltadvocates.org
  • Track AIPAC organization
    Reported as an endorser; specific announcement date not established in sources. americanalmanac.com
  • SEIU Local 105 union
    Lists Kiros among its 2026 general-election endorsements; no individual announcement date given. seiu105.org
  • Greg Casar, Maxwell Frost, and Pramila Jayapal official
    Co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC reported as endorsers; specific announcement date not established in sources. americanalmanac.com
  • Ro Khanna official
    U.S. Representative (D-CA) reported as an endorser; specific announcement date not established in sources. americanalmanac.com
  • Denver Democratic Socialists of America organization
    Endorsed Kiros; June 2026 ballot guide identifies her as endorsed but does not specify the announcement date. denverdsa.org
  • American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) union
    Largest federal employee union endorsed Kiros as one of 4 candidates for Congress representing Colorado. afge.org · Oct 7, 2026
  • End Citizens United organization
    Announced endorsement of Kiros in Colorado's 1st Congressional District. endcitizensunited.org · Sep 23, 2026
  • Jason Crow official
    U.S. Representative (D-CO) included Kiros in a slate of Colorado candidates he endorsed, pledging $100k in donations. coloradopolitics.com · Sep 8, 2026
  • Bernie Sanders official
    U.S. Senator (I-VT) endorsed Kiros, calling her 'exactly the kind of bold leader we need in Congress.' coloradopolitics.com · Jun 19, 2026
  • A New Policy PAC organization
    Announced endorsement of Kiros. anewpolicypac.org · Jun 15, 2026
  • Justice Democrats organization
    Endorsed Kiros as a primary challenger to Diana DeGette in Colorado's 1st Congressional District. nbcnews.com · Dec 4, 2025

Campaign finance

Totals filed with the Federal Election Commission for the 2026 election cycle.

Raised
$1.09M
Spent
$965K
Cash on hand
$126K

As of Jun 30, 2026. Filings are periodic, so recent money may not be included yet. ↳ FEC record H6CO01273(opens in a new tab)

Sources 24

  1. [1] CO Archives - Our Revolution(opens in a new tab) Oct 8, 2026
  2. [2] Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses 4 Candidates ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 7, 2026
  3. [3] Candidate Endorsements - Cobalt Advocates(opens in a new tab) Oct 6, 2026
  4. [4] Vote Shimon Blau — to pull CD-1 back from the brink(opens in a new tab) Oct 6, 2026
  5. [5] Denver Decides Candidate Forum - presented by the League of ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 3, 2026
  6. [6] Congressional District 1: Kiros faces Peterson, Blau(opens in a new tab) Oct 2, 2026
  7. [7] Endorsements – Colorado WINS Political Committee(opens in a new tab) Oct 1, 2026
  8. [8] 1st Congressional District: Democrat Melat Kiros(opens in a new tab) Sep 25, 2026
  9. [9] 2026 Election Voter Guide - SEIU Local 105(opens in a new tab) Sep 25, 2026
  10. [10] Melat Kiros, 1st Congressional District candidate(opens in a new tab) Sep 25, 2026
  11. [11] End Citizens United Endorses Melat Kiros in Colorado's 1st ...(opens in a new tab) Sep 23, 2026
  12. [12] Colorado's 1st congressional district — 2026 candidates(opens in a new tab) Sep 14, 2026
  13. [13] Jason Crow endorses Democrats up and down Colorado's ballot ...(opens in a new tab) Sep 8, 2026
  14. [14] [PDF] DENVER DSA June 2026 Ballot Guide(opens in a new tab) Aug 9, 2026
  15. [15] Firing Line | Melat Kiros | Season 2026 - PBS(opens in a new tab) Jul 31, 2026
  16. [16] Progressives look to recharge the Green New Deal for ...(opens in a new tab) Jul 12, 2026
  17. [17] Democratic socialist Melat Kiros ousts 15-term incumbent Diana DeGette in Colorado primary(opens in a new tab) Jul 1, 2026
  18. [18] Democratic incumbent in Colorado's 1st Congressional District faces ...(opens in a new tab) Jun 24, 2026
  19. [19] Issues PDF(opens in a new tab) Jun 24, 2026
  20. [20] Socialist House Candidate Platform: Freedom to Abort Unborn Babies Equals 'Economic Freedom'(opens in a new tab) Jun 23, 2026
  21. [21] Bernie Sanders endorses DeGette challenger Melat Kiros in Colorado’s 1st CD Democratic primary(opens in a new tab) Jun 19, 2026
  22. [22] A New Policy PAC endoress Melat Kiros — A New Policy PAC(opens in a new tab) Jun 15, 2026
  23. [23] Justice Democrats backs a sixth House primary challenger ...(opens in a new tab) Dec 4, 2025
  24. [24] Colorado(opens in a new tab) Jun 22, 2023
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