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Primary News and Primary Fodder
DeGette gets a challenger, Wyden wants an eternal seat
mister mix
August 10, 2025
Reader Scott sent in the news that Diana DeGette, who’s represented CO-1 (Pat Schroeder’s old Denver district) since the late 90’s, has a primary challenger, Melat Kiros. Here’s her announcement video:
DeGette is usually viewed as a solid progressive, but she’s also an undistinguished back-bencher. I was living in the Denver area for a while and heard nothing from her. CO-1 is a geographically small, mostly white, D+29 district that is basically Denver city, a few close-in suburbs, plus the airport. I think a low-spending candidate who knocked on a bunch of doors might have a chance, though Kiros is working as a barista and is in graduate school, so I wonder if she can focus on a campaign.
Reader John sent in this piece about Ron Wyden:
WASCO, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden is in his fifth decade in Congress and showing no inclination to step aside even as pressure builds on aging Democratic officeholders to give way to a new generation.
He says he plans to seek another term in 2028, when he will be 79 years old. He has traveled to all 36 Oregon counties every year he has been in the Senate and intends to keep doing so.
Come the fuck on — 50 years and almost 80 is time to retire. Pass the god damned torch already.
It’s a far different thing to run a primary challenge against a Senator in a big western state than it is to primary a Member of Congress in a compact urban district, but I hope someone steps up to take a go at Wyden. It’s richly deserved.
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