{"id":491501,"date":"2026-06-19T04:29:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T10:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coloradosun.com\/?p=491501"},"modified":"2026-06-19T08:55:58","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T14:55:58","slug":"diana-degette-melat-kiros-pac-spending","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coloradosun.com\/2026\/06\/19\/diana-degette-melat-kiros-pac-spending\/","title":{"rendered":"Super PACs drop $1.3M in last-minute spree to protect Diana DeGette in Denver\u2019s congressional district"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A trio of super PACs is dumping $1.3 million, most of it from unknown sources, into the Democratic primary in Colorado\u2019s 1st Congressional District in a last-minute effort to prevent longtime U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette from being unseated by political newcomer and Democratic socialist Melat Kiros.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spending, most of it going toward ads attacking Kiros, is the clearest sign yet that DeGette may be at serious risk<\/a> of being dislodged from Washington after nearly three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kiros, 29, is running as a liberal insurgent and is pitching voters on new federal representation for Denver. DeGette, who is 68 and was first elected to Congress in 1996, argues that her long tenure means she is primed for a leadership position in the U.S. House should Democrats retake Congress in November. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Melat Kiros, a Democratic socialist running to unseat U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, speaks from the steps of the Colorado State Capitol Sunday, June 14. (Adrian O’Farrill, Rocky Mountain PBS via the Colorado Capitol News Alliance)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don’t think she’s in trouble so much as that it\u2019s insurance money to make sure she doesn’t get in trouble,\u201d said Mike Dino, a Democratic strategist in Denver. \u201cI think this has been the pattern across the country where incumbents have been taken on by insurgents. There’s a lot of handwringing that there’s momentum for the insurgents.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That being said, while DeGette has faced \u2014 and fended off \u2014 primary challengers before, there has never been such a concerted and monied effort to protect her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A super PAC called Mile High Accountability Project kicked off the pro-DeGette spending spree June 6, when it dropped $350,000 on digital ads accusing Kiros of trying to divide Denver Democrats. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where Diana DeGette, Melat Kiros and Wanda James stand on the issues in Colorado\u2019s 1st Congressional District primary<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\u25b6 FULL STORY\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

“Donald Trump loves Democrats like Kiros,\u201d the ad says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ad also parrots a misleading attack<\/a> leveled by DeGette\u2019s campaign that Kiros \u201crecently moved to Denver.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kiros’ family moved to Denver when she was 11 months old and she grew up in the area before leaving to attend college. She returned to Colorado after being fired from a law firm<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the spot accuses Kiros \u2014 an outspoken opponent of Israel<\/a> \u2014 of making statements \u201claced with antisemitism<\/a>\u201d and argues, as DeGette\u2019s campaign claims, she is tied to efforts to defund the police and abolish the U.S. Senate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s unclear who is funding the Mile High Accountability Project, which formed April 29 and is registered to a Democratic campaign finance attorney in Denver. The PAC won\u2019t have to report its donors until July 15, the next Federal Election Commission disclosure deadline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another PAC, Project 218, spent $400,000 Wednesday on TV and digital ads attacking Kiros. Its ads also accuse<\/a> Kiros of recently moving to Denver and claim \u201cshe brought an extreme agenda.\u201d It repeats the statement that she wants to defund the police and repeats another DeGette claim that Kiros wants the U.S. to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMelat does not believe, nor has she ever stated, that she would defund the police, abolish NATO or abolish the U.S. Senate if elected to office,\u201d Kiros\u2019 campaign said in a written statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The claims made by DeGette\u2019s campaign, according to a spokesman for the congresswoman, are based on the Democratic Socialists of America platform nationally and in Denver, but not anything that Kiros has ever said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past, Project 218 has received donations from wealthy individuals<\/a>, many of them who work in the technology industry. It\u2019s linked to American Bridge 21st Century, another liberal PAC and a prolific spender on Democratic campaigns and causes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, the super PAC Pro-Choice Majority Action spent about $460,000 this week on ads supporting DeGette. One of its spots<\/a> makes the claim that DeGette is \u201cthe loudest, strongest voice fighting Donald Trump\u201d and touts her work as a 2020 impeachment manager against the president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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U.S. Rep. Diana Degette poses for a portrait on May 5, 2026. (Kevin J. Beaty, Denverite via the Colorado Capitol News Alliance)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The ad also highlights DeGette\u2019s support of defunding and dismantling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and for passing Medicare for All. (Kiros supports those things, too.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-Choice Majority Action was formed May 1 and, like the Mile High Accountability Project, won\u2019t have to disclose its donors until July 15. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Colorado\u2019s primaries are June 30. Here\u2019s what you need to know about the candidates and how to vote.<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\u25b6 FULL STORY\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Kiros is getting some super PAC help from the liberal group Justice Democrats, which sent mailers<\/a> to Denver voters promoting Kiros and attacking DeGette\u2019s votes in Congress and where her campaign\u2019s donations have come from. The PAC is funded mostly by individual donors giving relatively small amounts. The PAC has also spent money on digital ads<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In total, Justice Democrats has reported spending about $200,000 to help Kiros.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDenver voters are going to decide this race \u2014 not outside money, not special interests,\u201d Kiros said in a written statement in response to the spending by the Mile High Accountability Project, Project 218 and Pro-Choice Majority Action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A third Democrat, University of Colorado Regent Wanda James, is also running in the 1st District Democratic primary. But her campaign has not gained much momentum, either in fundraising or support, and she is effectively being ignored by Kiros and DeGette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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