Kiros has called for a total arms embargo on Israel, including defensive weapons.
By Shula Rosen
Democratic Socialists of America member Melat Kiros won Colorado’s Democratic primary on Tuesday, defeating U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette after a campaign marked by controversy over her statements on Israel, the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.
Kiros defeated DeGette, Colorado’s longest-serving member of Congress, with 51.31% of the vote. DeGette received 41.66%, while Wanda James won 7.02%.
The 29-year-old candidate, who was backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, has blamed U.S. policy for the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that destroyed the Twin Towers and killed nearly 3,000 Americans.
Kiros has also drawn criticism for comments about Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. She described the Oct. 7 massacre as “the inevitable consequence of apartheid” and has argued that Israel created the conditions in Gaza that led Hamas to carry out the attack.
She has called for a total arms embargo on Israel, including defensive weapons.
The candidate was previously fired from her law firm after writing an article arguing that supporting the elimination of Israel is not antisemitic.
Kiros also declined to characterize the attack in Boulder, Colorado, that killed 82-year-old Karen Diamond as antisemitic.
On June 1, 2025, Mohamed Sabry Soliman allegedly attacked participants in a solidarity walk for hostages taken during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel in Boulder, Colorado, using Molotov cocktails and a makeshift flamethrower. Seven people were injured, and Diamond later died from injuries sustained in the attack.
Kiros’ positions on Israel and antisemitism became a focal point during the primary campaign as she sought to unseat DeGette, who had served longer in Congress than any other member of Colorado’s delegation.
The victory sends Kiros to the general election after she prevailed in the three-way Democratic contest. Her primary win follows a campaign in which her past writings, public statements, and positions on Israel, U.S. foreign policy, and antisemitism received significant attention alongside her broader political platform.
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