Melat Kiros becomes the first Gen Z woman elected to Congress

Democratic socialist Melat Kiros has won the race to represent Colorado's 1st Congressional District in the House, according to a race call by The Associated Press, marking the first time a Gen Z woman will serve in Congress.

Kiros, a 29-year-old Ethiopian immigrant and lawyer, cruised to victory Tuesday night in the reliably blue district, which includes most of Denver.

The win comes just months after she handily defeated 15-term incumbent Diana DeGette in the state's Democratic primary, a high-profile party upset where voter frustration with leaders in Washington, D.C., and calls for political change were at the forefront.

Kiros is one of several winning House candidates on Tuesday who were endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America or its local chapters.

Many touted a shared core platform: championing issues aimed at expanding the social safety net for working Americans through policies like Medicare for All and universal childcare. They also advocated for more divisive changes, such as abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and ending U.S. military aid to Israel.

Kiros' fierce criticism of Israel and the war in Gaza became a source of controversy on the campaign trail, sparking blowback from the independent candidate in her race, Shimon Blau, who accused her of espousing antisemitic rhetoric. Kiros has pushed back on that, saying her criticism rests with the state of Israel rather than the Jewish people.

Though the average age of a lawmaker in Congress has gotten younger in recent years, being a Gen Z member of Congress remains a rarity. Kiros will arrive on Capitol Hill at a moment when Democrats continue to confront calls from many of their voters for generational change.

In an interview with NPR in February, she spoke about the role of age in her race, arguing that many of her policy positions appeal to young voters in particular.

"Young people understand that we are in the fight of our lives," she said. "We need to have leaders that are going to be fighting for the kind of bold policies that actually get something done, and they're refusing to settle or wait for our turn or ask for permission."

Currently, just one sitting member of Congress is under the age of 30, Florida Democrat Maxwell Frost, who became the first Gen Zer elected to the House in 2022.