Colorado's primary highlights a divide in the Democratic Party as far-left candidates prevail

Congresswoman Diana DeGette is an icon in Colorado's Democratic party. In any other election year, that would be an asset.

Democratic analyst Sheila MacDonald says, this year, it was a liability. She was defeated by Melat Kiros in this week's primary.

"The status quo isn't working is the biggest takeaway," MacDonald said.

MacDonald says Democratic voters are anti-incumbent, anti-establishment, and anti-Trump. She says there is an ideological and generational war playing out in the party and the far left won the battle Tuesday night.

Kiros, who defeated DeGette, is now the face of democratic socialists in the state.

Republican analyst Dick Wadhams says she's also a gift to Republicans like Congressman Gabe Evans in Congressional District 8 -- one of the most competitive districts in the country.

"I think there could be something like the 'Kiros effect.' I think Democrats are going to be on the defensive about it. She's not going to keep her mouth shut about all these extraneous issues," he said.

Issues like U.S. support for Israel, which Kiros adamantly opposes.

"I equate it somewhat to Lauren Boebert. She became kind of the lightning rod that kind of defined Republicans when she first got elected," said Wadhams, referring to Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Republican who represents Colorado's 4th Congressional District.

MacDonald agrees that some of Kiros' positions could put Democratic candidates in a tough spot.

"Every Democrat is going to be pressed on those issues and they'd better be prepared and have answers for them."

MacDonald says it's time Colorado's Democratic Party did some soul searching and team building.

"Make sure we're not going the way ... the Republicans went with the Tea Party."

She says the party should start with a deep dive into the Democratic U.S. Senate primary.

Incumbent John Hickenlooper won the race, but he lost 45% of the vote to Julie Gonzalez -- a far-leftist state senator who had no statewide name recognition and virtually no funding. Hickenlooper even lost Denver, where he was once mayor.

"That's the canary in the coal mine for Democrats," said MacDonald. "That is what we should be looking at and why that happened."

While Democrats are still expected to dominate in November, Wadhams says, winning the governor's seat won't be easy for them if state Sen. Barb Kirkmeyer is the Republican nominee.

In addition to President Trump, he says, Coloradans are also tired of one-party rule.

"Barb Kirkmeyer is so strong, so thoughtful, so articulate. I think Weiser better not underestimate her," Wadhams said, referring to Democratic gubernatorial primary winner Phil Weiser.

The bipartisan Colorado Polling Institute released a survey that sheds some more light on Melat Kiros win. It found 52 percent of Denverites have a positive view of socialism while 48 percent had a positive view of capitalism.

Progressive candidates also prevailed in state legislative races Tuesday night, taking out two incumbents.

Democrats are one seat away from a supermajority in the House and two seats away in the Senate, which would allow them to override a veto by the governor.