Diana DeGette Faces Progressive Challengers in Colorado 1st District

The hum of the I-70 corridor doesn’t stop just because you’re in the 1st Congressional District. It’s a constant, low-grade vibration that rattles the windows of homes in Westminster and Fort Lupton, a reminder that this district is less a cohesive community and more a collection of suburbs strung out along a highway and a rail line. It’s where the tech workers in Boulder commute to the airport, and where the agricultural roots of Weld County bleed into the urban sprawl of Denver.

This is the district that Diana DeGette has held since 1997. It’s a seat that feels safe for Democrats but has never been without its challengers. This cycle, that safety is being tested by two distinct forces: Wanda James, a University of Colorado Regent and former Navy officer with a national profile, and Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old lawyer running as a Democratic Socialist who was fired from her firm after defending pro-Palestinian student protesters.

The question is whether the base will turn out for a progressive shakeup or stick with the incumbent who has spent nearly three decades navigating the D.C. machine.

DeGette, 68, isn’t running on a platform of disruption. She’s running on experience. She’s been here. But James and Kiros are arguing that experience has become stagnation.

“I think people are tired of the same old politics,” James said in an interview, referencing her time as co-owner of the nation’s first Black-owned cannabis dispensary and her current role on the CU Board of Regents. “We need leadership that understands both the federal level and the local impact on our families.”

James, 29, lives in Denver with her husband. She’s positioning herself as a bridge between the establishment and the working class, leveraging her Navy background and business acumen. She’s not just talking about healthcare; she’s talking about the cost of living that’s squeezing the middle class in Greeley and Longmont alike.

Then there’s Kiros. At 29, she’s the youngest of the three. A lawyer who was fired after writing an article defending pro-Palestinian student protestors, Kiros is running as a Democratic Socialist. Her message is sharper, more ideological. She’s not just tweaking the system; she wants to overhaul it.

“The system isn’t broken,” Kiros said. “It’s working exactly as it was designed to benefit those at the top. We need to dismantle the structures that keep healthcare, housing, and childcare out of reach for working families.”

The issues dividing them are stark. Healthcare is the big one. DeGette supports a public option and federal legislation capping drug prices. James is more aggressive, pushing for a transition toward a more robust public system, though she hasn’t explicitly endorsed Medicare for All in every interview. Kiros, however, is clear: she wants Medicare for All. She’s also pushing for rent control and a higher federal minimum wage, arguing that the current $7.25 an hour is a relic of a different era.

Childcare is another flashpoint. Colorado’s childcare system is in crisis. The state’s only program subsidizing care is leaving 14,000 eligible kids on waiting lists. DeGette wants to expand the current subsidy program. James wants to make childcare free for all families, funded by raising taxes on the wealthy. Kiros wants to make it free, but she’s willing to go further, proposing a broader economic reset to fund it.

Immigration is the third pillar. All three support reforming the U.S. immigration process. But when it comes to ICE, the differences widen. DeGette wants to improve conditions in detention centers like the one in Aurora. James wants to dismantle ICE entirely. Kiros wants to dismantle ICE and replace it with a new agency focused on enforcement and care, not punishment.

“The current system is prison-like,” James said, referencing the reports from Aurora. “We need to replace it with something that treats immigrants with dignity.”

Housing is the fourth issue. DeGette supports zoning reform and tax incentives. James wants to use federal funds to build more affordable housing. Kiros wants to ban stock trading for members of Congress, arguing that insider trading undermines public trust in the very policies meant to help homeowners.

Climate change is the fifth. All three support the Green New Deal. But DeGette is more cautious, focusing on transportation emissions and electric vehicles. James and Kiros are more ambitious, pushing for a faster transition to 100% renewable energy.

The data supports this view. The 1st District is heavily Democratic, but the primary turnout can be volatile. In 2022, DeGette won with about 55% of the vote. If James and Kiros split the progressive vote, DeGette could win with a plurality. If they consolidate, she could face a tougher general election opponent in Christy Peterson, the only Republican on the ballot.

The outcome remains uncertain, but the trajectory is clear. The 1st District is changing. It’s no longer just about who can raise the most money. It’s about who can deliver.

“I’m not running to be the next Diana DeGette,” James said. “I’m running to be the first Wanda James.”