Socialism on the Rise: Colorado Voters Ditch Longtime Moderate Congresswoman in Primary Election

The socialist movement is ramping up across the United States, and Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old lawyer turned doctoral student in Colorado, is the latest progressive challenger to knock out a longtime incumbent.

Democratic socialist Kiros beat U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette in a Colorado House primary on June 30, knocking out the nearly 30-year incumbent by more than 20,000 votes.

Kiros is the latest democratic socialist to win a primary ahead of November’s election, joining two House candidates from New York, Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez.

Avila Chevalier upset five-term incumbent Adriano Espaillat for New York’s 13th Congressional District.

These victories have energized the democratic socialist movement but have raised more questions than answers about the direction of the Democratic Party and the country’s economic future.

As the Democratic Socialists of America’s own political platform states, socialism leads to greater government involvement, higher taxes, and greater government control over the economy, effectively destroying the free-enterprise system.

America’s greatest economic successes have come from entrepreneurship, private investment, and competitive markets.

Capitalism has created unprecedented wealth, driven technological innovation, and given millions of people the opportunity to experience the American Dream.

With more democratic socialists moving on to the general election in November, voters will face a clear choice: an economy driven by government controls and interventions or one built by free enterprise, competition, and economic freedom.

Photo Courtesy: Colorado Public Radio