Melat Kiros Wins Colorado's 1st District House Seat

Melat Kiros, a Democrat, won the U.S. House seat for Colorado's 1st Congressional District in the November 2026 election. The Associated Press called the race for her at about 7:30 p.m. on November 3, according to Colorado News Line.

Kiros received 78% of the vote. Republican Christy Peterson received 14%, and unaffiliated candidate Shimon Blau received 6%.

The district includes most of Denver. Reuters has described it as overwhelmingly Democratic in its report on the primary.

Kiros is 29 years old. She is an Ethiopian immigrant and a lawyer. NPR reported that she is the first Gen Z woman to serve in Congress. NPR also reported that Florida Democrat Maxwell Frost became the first Gen Zer elected to the House, in 2022.

Before the general election, Kiros was a political newcomer. In the Democratic primary, she defeated 15-term incumbent Diana DeGette. NPR reported that the Democratic Socialists of America or its local chapters endorsed her, and it describes her as a democratic socialist.