Anti-establishment progressives on Tuesday passed on some veteran lawmakers in the Democratic primary in Colorado, where the party is struggling with an internal battle over how far left it can move without jeopardizing its prospects of taking control of Congress in November’s midterm elections.
The big surprise of the night was Melat Quiroz, a 29-year-old labor rights activist and lawyer, defeating incumbent Rep. Deanna DeGette, a member of the House Progressive Party, in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District.
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More broadly, primary voting is widely seen as an indicator of what important issues are motivating American voters.
Here are the key takeaways from Tuesday’s voting results in Colorado.
Dissident candidates benefit
Similar to what happened in the New York state primary, voters hurt moderate Democrats while left-wing candidates advanced.
Quiros, who immigrated to the United States from Ethiopia as a baby, defeated DeGette in the Denver area despite being outnumbered by more than two to one in terms of funding and calling for a complete arms embargo on Israel, even for defensive weapons. DeGette is in favor of sending defensive weapons.
Quiros was fired from his job after he refused to delete social media posts criticizing the law firm’s stance on Israel and Palestine and calling Israel’s actions in Gaza a genocide.
Her victory is a surprising victory for a first-time candidate against an incumbent of nearly 30 years and is considered a major victory for Democratic Socialists of America. Quiros, who received more than twice as many votes as DeGette, is expected to win the Republican ticket in November and reach Congress in January.
A smaller rift separated the two Democrats vying for the 8th District House seat. State Rep. Manny Lutinel, a candidate considered more progressive, defeated former state Rep. Shannon Byrd.
However, Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper passed on a primary challenge from state Sen. Julie Gonzalez, a self-described “anti-government progressive.”
Progressives could flip the district.
Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, a relatively new district that stretches from Denver’s northern suburbs to agricultural areas, saw party control reverse in recent elections.
Lutinel, a progressive, is currently vying for a Republican-held U.S. House seat in the Nov. 3 midterm elections. This election could determine whether Democrats take control of the 435 seats narrowly held by Republicans.
Lutinel will face Republican U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans in what is expected to be a highly competitive match. Party leaders thought the more moderate Byrd was the best candidate to run against Evans, but Lutinel, who has a more progressive track record, defeated Byrd on Tuesday.
Democratic Party expected to win governorship
State Attorney General Phil Weiser won the Democratic primary and will be the favorite to win the governor’s race in November. Term-limited Democratic Gov. Jared Polis is leaving office after two terms in which he ruled more moderately, sometimes thwarting progressive state lawmakers.
However, Sen. Michael Bennet lost the gubernatorial primary despite having served in the Senate for more than 17 years and had a reputation as a pragmatist. He previously served as superintendent of Denver Public Schools.
The Democratic gubernatorial nomination race was largely seen as a contest over which candidate is best positioned to defend Colorado against President Donald Trump, who has frozen federal funding for the state and vetoed a major drinking water project in the state, where voters have tended to favor Democrats over the past two decades.
Mr. Weiser, a somewhat lower-ranking person, far outsold Mr. Bennett in financial terms, outselling Mr. Bennett by $1 million.
Weiser served in the presidential administrations of Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and is considered sympathetic to the left wing of the party.
President Trump remains center stage
Sen. Hickenlooper immediately turned his attention to Trump after his victory.
“Coloradoans have once again made their voice clear. We will not accept President Trump’s broken promises, cost-of-living emergencies, or his incessant corruption,” he said in a video posted to YouTube.
Quiros took to the stage under a sign that read “Power to the People” and said he was part of a “movement.” “We are just getting started,” she told supporters.
She added that she would take on “Donald Trump and the oligarchy,” abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), pass “Medicare for All” and end “genocide in Palestine.”
Incumbent Ms. DeGette argued that she needed Congressional experience now to take on Mr. Trump, but Mr. Quiros accused her of incompetence.
