DeGette's years in Congress
Diana DeGette, unseated in the Denver primary, has been in Congress since 1997.
Snapshot · Up First from NPR
Trump's Crypto Earnings, Democratic Socialists Rising, USA Advances In World Cup
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Jul 2, 2026
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Democratic Socialists Rising
At 7:10 · chapter starts 5:43
NPR political reporter Elena Moore surveys the fast-moving landscape of the Democratic Socialists of America's primary surge. After wins in New York City, DSA-backed candidates scored again in Denver, where first-time candidate Melat Kiros — 29 years old, born in 1997, the very year her opponent Diana DeGette first won her seat — defeated the longtime progressive incumbent [1] — Elena Moore "Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old first-time candidate, defeated Diana DeGette — a Denver congresswoman who has held her seat since 1997, the year…" 06:56 . The DSA is not a political party but a membership group; its candidates run as Democrats and have coalesced around economic populism, abolishing ICE, and ending US military aid to Israel. They also reject corporate PAC money and pro-Israel lobbying donations — and make a point of attacking opponents who don't. Centrist Democrats are alarmed: Matt Bennett of Third Way warned that it is now 'very hard for Democrats to distinguish themselves' from the extreme label, even if they don't formally embrace DSA [2] — Elena Moore "Democrats not aligned with DSA now face a bind: tap into the same anti-establishment energy without being painted as socialist extremists. …" 08:00 . Meanwhile, DSA congressional winner Claire Valdez pushed back, arguing the movement reflects broad national consensus around recentering working-class Americans. With Trump already labeling the movement 'communists,' the challenge for mainstream Democrats is clear: how to tap populist energy without inheriting an unwinnable brand war.
Democratic Socialists Are Winning — Here's How
DSA-backed candidates have won high-profile primaries in New York and Colorado by combining economic populism with hard-left positions — rejecting corporate PACs, calling for abolishing ICE, and ending US military aid to Israel. It's a formula energizing voters in deep-blue areas, even as centrist Democrats fear it will cost them swing seats.
29-Year-Old Newcomer Defeats 28-Year Congressional Veteran
Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old first-time candidate, defeated Diana DeGette — a Denver congresswoman who has held her seat since 1997, the year Kiros was born. The win is the latest sign that the anti-establishment wave is powerful enough to topple even respected progressives.
DSA win: Melat Kiros age
Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old first-time candidate, unseated Diana DeGette who has served in Congress since 1997 — the year Kiros was born.
The Democratic Dilemma: Tap DSA Energy Without the Label
Democrats not aligned with DSA now face a bind: tap into the same anti-establishment energy without being painted as socialist extremists. Matt Bennett of Third Way warns it's 'very hard to distinguish yourself' — and the GOP is already calling every Democrat a communist.
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