Democratic socialist candidate Melat Kiros shocked Colorado’s Democratic establishment when she defeated 15-term incumbent Rep.Diana DeGette in the state's June primary.
The double-digit win exposed a growing rift over the party's values that has left some Democrats stunned and questioning the future of the party."If you had told me this woman would have won by 13 points, I would have bet my house against that," Doug Friednash, a veteran political strategist in Colorado, told Fox News Digital."I never would have thought we would have seen a victory of that magnitude here in Denver."Friednash has tracked Colorado's political shift from red to deep blue over the past three decades, previously serving in the state legislature representing House District 10 in Denver.
He later served as Denver city attorney and chief of staff to former Colorado Gov.John Hickenlooper, and he currently works as a partner at Brownstein, a prominent legal and lobbying firm in the region.Kiros' victory was one of dozens of wins for far-left candidates in Democratic primary elections this cycle as socialists continue to ascend across the country.
The far-left's rise in the party has alarmed seasoned Democrats like Friednash.Democratic strategist Doug Friednash speaks with Fox News Digital during an interview at the Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck law practice in Denver, Colorado on Monday, July 13, 2026. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)JEWISH COMMUNITY IN DENVER ON HIGH ALERT OVER RISE OF DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MELAT KIROS"It was one thing watching this happen in New York ...But when it happens in a state like Colorado, which is really the gateway to the West, it tells me that this issue is going to spread and may be a cancer to the Democratic Party if they don't figure out what our values are," Friednash said.He noted that Kiros' victory did not happen in a vacuum, pointing out that DSA-backed candidates have successfully captured seats in the state legislature and city councils over ...