Melat Kiros, a Democrat and former attorney who defeated 15-term incumbent Diana DeGette in the June 30 primary, faces Republican Christy Peterson in Colorado's 1st congressional district in 2026.
2026 Races & Market Forecast
Live TruthIndex™ and prediction market consensus for races contested by Melat Kiros.
- Born
- May 23, 1997
- Birthplace
- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Education
- Eaglecrest High School
Washington College (bachelor's degree in political science and economics, 2018)
Notre Dame Law School (2022)
University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs (PhD program)
Biography & Campaign Analysis
Background
Melat Kiros was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to a family of Tigrayan origin, and her parents immigrated to the United States when she was an infant. She grew up in Aurora, Colorado, and attended Eaglecrest High School. Kiros graduated from Washington College in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in political science and economics and from Notre Dame Law School in 2022.
Career
Kiros joined the New York office of the law firm Sidley Austin as a summer associate in 2021 and became a full-time associate in September 2022, working in securities regulation and enforcement.
In 2023 she published a post on Medium criticizing law firms, including her own, for opposing pro-Palestine protests; when she refused the firm's request to take it down, she was fired.
Kiros then returned to Colorado, enrolled in a PhD program at the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs, and worked as a barista to help pay off her student loans.
She is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and supports Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, federal rent control and a moratorium on data centers.
2026 race
Melat Kiros announced on July 9, 2025, that she would challenge Diana DeGette, the Democratic incumbent in Colorado's 1st congressional district, which includes almost all of Denver. DeGette had held the seat since 1996 and was re-elected in 2024 with 76.6% of the vote.
In the Democratic primary on June 30, 2026, Kiros won with 53.2% to DeGette's 39.8%, while Wanda James, a member of the University of Colorado Board of Regents, took 7.0%.
The candidates' positions on Israel were a major point of contention, with Kiros opposing all weapons for Israel, including funding for the Iron Dome.
In the general election on November 3, 2026, she faces Republican Christy Peterson, an office manager who was unopposed for her party's nomination, and independent Shimon Blau, a medical doctor, also filed to run.