Tuesday's primary election in Colorado could be pivotal

Republican Dick Wadhams and Democrat Mike Dino have a century of combined experience in Colorado politics, and the political analysts say 2026 will be a defining year for both major parties as they battle ideological wars from within their own ranks.

"We'll see if the Working Families Party (and) the Democratic socialists really do get more of a foothold," said Dino.

An anti-establishment backlash is fueling attempts at upsets by democratic socialists and Trump-aligned MAGA Republicans across the country. Roughly six in 10 registered voters have unfavorable views of both the Democratic and Republican parties, including more than 70% of independents, according to a CBS News/YouGov poll taken last month. Many voters appear to be tired of the status quo and willing to take a chance on an insurgent.

While both parties have long wrestled with warring factions in their ranks, the ideological rift is on full display this year, especially among Democrats, as democratic socialists test just how far to the left voters are willing to go.

Progressives' best hope for knocking off a U.S. House seat in Colorado -- where the primary election happens on Tuesday -- may be in the 1st Congressional District in Denver.

Incumbent Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette is fending off primary challenges from CU Regent Wanda James and attorney Melat Kiros. Kiros — a democratic socialist endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders — is DeGette's most formidable challenge in 30 years.

"I think there are a lot of younger voters that are looking for generational change and looking for ideological change, and I think it motivates them to be more active politically," said Dino.

But he says what motivates Democratic voters most is opposition to President Trump.

Dino says, in some ways, Mr. Trump is redefining the Democratic Party, too.

"It's defined by who is going to be more aggressive in thwarting his agenda and him personally. People are looking for angry candidates who match their anger," Dino said.

On the flipside are MAGA Republicans looking for primary candidates who most support Mr. Trump's agenda.

But Wadhams says unaffiliated voters who are tired of one-party rule in Colorado could shake up the Republican primary for governor.

"This is the first election I think in 10 years where I think voters really are worried about the future of our state and they really are rejecting this absolute, total Democratic control and they don't like what they're seeing," Wadhams said.

The race includes two hard-right ministers, Victor Marx and state Rep. Scott Bottoms, along with Republican state Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer.

Wadhams says if Marx or Bottoms win, it's game over for Republicans. Marx has said he has had homicidal and suicidal thoughts and has killed people but won't say how many, and Bottoms claims without evidence there's a pedophile ring at the Colorado State Capitol. Kirkmeyer has campaigned on affordability and safety issues, Bottoms is pushing for a redo of the state's education system among other things and Marx wants to cut regulations and lower the cost of living.

"Even though we have this outstanding candidate with Barb Kirkmeyer, those two guys make the Republican Party look stupid," said Wadhams.

He and Dino agree Kirkmeyer will likely win the primary, but they disagree about her chances in the general election.

"Barb will come out of this primary, if she wins, like a slingshot because she's been the underdog. People wrote her off a long time ago to Marx," Wadhams said. "So if she actually wins (the primary), I think there will be kind of some excitement about her."

Dino says it doesn't matter who Republicans have on the ballot.

"I think it's going to be a huge wave in favor of Democrats in Colorado," he said.

The one exception, he says, is the Democratic primary for attorney general, which includes three attorneys with vast legal experience — Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Hetal Doshi and leading workers' rights attorney David Seligman. But term-limited Democratic Secretary of State Jena Griswold is considered the frontrunner in the AG's race due to her name recognition, even though she has only worked for one law firm for roughly one year and represented only one client in court.

If she's wins, Dino predicts, there will be an exodus from the AG's office.

"You're going to lose a lot of brain power, a lot of intellectual capacity. I do think that people are very, very unsettled by the prospect of Jena Griswold being the attorney general," Dino said.

Griswold's campaign says she has "worked on strategy and tactics" with the AG's office and that the AG's responsibilities go beyond the courtroom.

If El Paso District Attorney Michael Allen is the Republican nominee, Dino predicts, many Democrats will vote for him over Griswold.

"There will be, I think, some allegiances that will cross over party lines," he said.

While progressive candidates are winning in deep-blue pockets of the country, moderate Democrats worry they will hurt candidates in swing districts, where those policies aren't as popular.

The 8th Congressional District is one of the swing districts that could decide control of the U.S. House this fall. Incumbent Rep. Gabe Evans is running unopposed in the Republican primary. Two candidates are battling in the Democratic primary: state Rep. Manny Rutinel and Shannon Bird.

The other race to watch is incumbent Sen. John Hickenlooper's bid to be the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate. It will be telling if a progressive candidate like state Sen. Julie Gonzales can win statewide.