Melat Kiros, the Democratic nominee in Colorado’s heavily Democratic 1st Congressional District, brushed aside Republican concerns about communists inside the Democratic Socialists of America, arguing that the attacks were meant to blunt the socialist movement’s growing influence ahead of the midterm elections. Kiros made the comments during an interview on PBS’s «Firing Line» with host Margaret Hoover, who asked how she would respond to criticism that some DSA members, including roughly half of the organization’s national leadership, identify as communists.
«Some members of the Democratic Party are proudly proclaiming themselves as capitalists, and it’s a big tent, right?» Kiros said. «But again, at the end of the day, it’s up to the voters, right? Until a self-proclaimed communist actually wins an election, then it’s just noise from the Republican Party. There’s no one who’s actually winning with that.»
Hoover also cited President Donald Trump’s description of the movement as «hardcore, godless communists» and asked Kiros directly whether she was a communist. «No, I’m not a communist,» Kiros said.
Kiros attributed the Republican attacks to concern that the DSA’s economic message was gaining support among voters. «Because I think the Republican Party, and frankly, the oligarchy that largely stands behind the Republican Party can see that our message of, in its most basic form, economic populism, is actually resonating with voters,» she said.
The 29-year-old defeated 15-term Representative Diana DeGette in the Democratic primary for the district. She is the 28th candidate endorsed by the DSA to win a Democratic primary this election cycle. Those nominees could join 18 incumbent progressives to form a 43-member House bloc when the new Congress convenes in January.
The DSA’s 25-member National Political Committee serves as the organization’s primary political leadership. Its newly launched «Workers Deserve More» program calls for abolishing the Senate, replacing the presidency and the Supreme Court with institutions selected by Congress, granting amnesty to undocumented immigrants and defunding the Department of War. Kiros said she does not necessarily support every position in the platform. «Our platform is one that is voted on in a democratic way through our members,» she said. «And it’s one where it is almost certain that not every single member actually agrees with the entirety of the platform.»
Hoover noted that Kiros supports parts of the DSA agenda, including «Medicare-for-all» and universal childcare, while confirming that she rejects other parts, such as abolishing the Senate, withdrawing from NATO and defunding the police. Kiros also said she supports a 32-hour workweek. She defended her political philosophy after Hoover cited Democratic criticism of the DSA, saying that «socialism has proven to deliver on the values of the Declaration of Independence more than capitalism has.»
Kiros has also faced opposition over her positions on Israel. Denver Jewish leaders have said her rhetoric heightened their safety concerns, citing her initial refusal to characterize the 2025 Boulder firebombing as antisemitic and her accusations that Israel committed genocide and apartheid.
The DSA has continued to gain prominence as new figures rise within the organization, including New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Darializa Avila Chevalier, who recently won the Democratic primary in New York’s 13th Congressional District. A July Fox News poll found that 56% of registered voters viewed the DSA unfavorably and 31% viewed it favorably. Among Democrats, 59% had a favorable opinion of the DSA, while 26% viewed it unfavorably.
Requests for comment from the Republican National Committee, Kiros’s campaign and the DSA were not immediately returned.
