{"id":369,"date":"2026-05-29T11:03:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T11:03:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coloradorelocationreport.com\/?p=369"},"modified":"2026-05-29T11:03:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T11:03:18","slug":"where-diana-degette-melat-kiros-and-wanda-james-stand-on-the-issues-in-colorados-1st-congressional-district-primary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coloradorelocationreport.com\/?p=369","title":{"rendered":"Where Diana DeGette, Melat Kiros and Wanda James stand on the issues in Colorado\u2019s 1st Congressional District primary"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>Three Democrats are running against each other in the Democratic primary for Colorado\u2019s 1st Congressional District on June 30: incumbent U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, former lawyer and Democratic Socialist Melat Kiros and University of Colorado Regent Wanda James.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/coloradorelocationreport.com\/?p=367\">Colorado\u2019s race to cut water use off to a slow start<\/a><\/p>\n<div><\/div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong> has served as the U.S. representative for Colorado\u2019s 1st Congressional District since 1997. She holds a law degree. She is 68, married and has two children. She lives in Denver.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong> is a lawyer who was fired from her law firm after writing an article defending pro-Palestinian student protestors. She is running as a Democratic Socialist. She is 29 and lives in Denver.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong> is a former Navy officer, a current regent for the University of Colorado and co-owner of the nation\u2019s first Black-owned cannabis dispensary. She is 62 and lives with her husband in Denver.<\/p>\n<p>The Colorado Sun interviewed each of them to see where they stand on healthcare, immigration and other top issues.<\/p>\n<p>(Note: There is no Republican primary for Colorado\u2019s First Congressional District this year. Christy Peterson is the only Republican on the ballot.)<\/p>\n<p>Here are their answers:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<details>\n<summary>Jump to a topic<\/summary>\n<ul>\n<li>What changes would you make to the U.S. healthcare system if you could? A public option? Medicare for All?<\/li>\n<li>Would you support federal legislation capping drug prices?<\/li>\n<li>Do you support raising the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour? If so, to what?<\/li>\n<li>Do you support rent control?<\/li>\n<li>Colorado\u2019s childcare system is in crisis, families of all incomes can\u2019t afford care and are struggling to find care. The state\u2019s only program subsidizing care is leaving 14,000 eligible kids on waiting lists. How would you tackle this problem in Congress?<\/li>\n<li>Should childcare be free for all families? If so, how should it be funded?<\/li>\n<li>Do you support the Green New Deal, which proposes to transition the country to 100% renewable energy while creating \u201cgreen\u201d jobs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions?<\/li>\n<li>Colorado is not on track to meet its climate goals, in large part due to slow progress cleaning up emissions from the transportation sector. This is despite a historic increase in electronic vehicle purchases. What policies would you pursue to reduce transportation emissions faster?<\/li>\n<li>How should the U.S. immigration process be reformed?<\/li>\n<li>Immigrants held at ICE\u2019s detention center in Aurora describe prison-like conditions with poor medical care and quality of life. What would you do to address concerns about ICE detention centers?<\/li>\n<li>Do you support dismantling ICE? If yes, what should replace it?<\/li>\n<li>How would you improve housing availability and affordability for Coloradans?<\/li>\n<li>Would you vote to continue the tax cuts passed by the Republican-led Congress and President Donald Trump when they expire in 2029?<\/li>\n<li>Do you support getting rid of student debt? If so, how would you do it?<\/li>\n<li>Do you support banning stock trading for members of Congress?<\/li>\n<li>Do you support banning former members of Congress from becoming lobbyists?<\/li>\n<li>Should there be term limits for members of Congress?<\/li>\n<li>Do you support continued U.S. military funding for Israel? If so, should there be restrictions or conditions imposed on that funding?<\/li>\n<li>Do you think it was a good idea for the U.S. to go to war with Iran? And how would you vote on a war powers resolution to end the U.S. bombing of Iran?<\/li>\n<li>Do you support data center development? If not, why? If so, under what circumstances?<\/li>\n<li>Do you think Congress should pass a law regulating artificial intelligence? If yes, what should those regulations be?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n<p><em>Use arrow keys (\u2190<\/em> <em>\u2192) or swipe to read through topics<\/em><\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>HEALTHCARE<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>What changes would you make to the U.S. healthcare system if you could? A public option? Medicare for All?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DeGette said if Democrats take back the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, she will be the chair of the health subcommittee. \u201cThe first thing I will do is try to work towards adopting Medicare for All,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kiros said she supports a single-payer healthcare system, canceling all medical debt and breaking up monopolies in the pharmaceutical, health insurance and healthcare provider sectors. \u201cThere\u2019s too much consolidation that has led to a lot of high costs, and we need to increase that competition,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would absolutely would love to see Medicare for All,\u201d James said. \u201cI think it\u2019s imperative that we get there.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>DRUG PRICES<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Would you support federal legislation capping drug prices?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DeGette supports allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201c100%,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>MINIMUM WAGE<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Do you support raising the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour? If so, to what?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes. DeGette has sponsored legislation to raise the federal minimum wage to $17 an hour.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kiros said the minimum hourly wage should be raised federally to match the cost of living in each county. \u201cAt the very least, it needs to be $15, but in some cities, in some districts, it might need to be $22,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes. James said the federal minimum wage should be at least $15-16 per hour.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>RENT CONTROL<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Do you support rent control?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DeGette said rent control is a local issue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kiros said she supports rent stabilization at the federal level, meaning \u201clargely capping the amount that rent can be raised every year, so some range from like 1-3%,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>CHILDCARE CRISIS<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Colorado\u2019s childcare system is in crisis, with families of all incomes unable to afford care or are struggling to find care. The state\u2019s only program subsidizing care is leaving 14,000 eligible kids on waiting lists. How would you tackle this problem in Congress?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DeGette said childcare is mostly a state and local issue. At the federal level, she wants to reverse the Trump administration\u2019s cuts to federal childcare funding and add more investment for families through Medicaid, food stamps and childcare subsidies, including the Head Start program.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kiros said she supports increased subsidies for the cost of childcare, childcare facility rental costs and childcare worker salaries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>James said there should be nationwide free pre-Kindergarten, bigger tax credits for parents and employer-based flexible spending accounts (similar to health savings accounts or HSAs) to pay for childcare. \u201cThis is a huge issue, especially for women choosing to go back to work when we are just absolutely trading off what you\u2019re making to be able to offset the cost of daycare,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>FREE CHILDCARE<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Should childcare be free for all families? If so, how should it be funded?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DeGette said childcare should be free for families \u201cwho need it.\u201d \u201cI don\u2019t see why I should have to pay for childcare for billionaires,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kiros said at the very minimum the cost of childcare needs to be capped at 10% of a family\u2019s income and it should be free for families below a certain income level. She said added federal investments should be paid for by efficiencies found in a multi-year audit of the federal government, cutting the Pentagon\u2019s budget by 10% and closing tax loopholes and levying higher taxes on the \u201cultra wealthy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes, I would be absolutely willing to take a look at that,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t know what all of the the ins and outs of that would be, but I would definitely be open to looking at how that would play itself out.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>GREEN NEW DEAL<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Do you support the Green New Deal, which proposes to transition the country to 100% renewable energy while creating \u201cgreen\u201d jobs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DeGette said she is trying to pass legislation that will transition the country to a fossil fuel-free economy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes, but it needs to be updated,\u201d she said.\u201d It was written before a lot of advancement in renewable energy technology and AI, so it needs to be updated to account for those changes.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes,\u201d she said. \u201cI think that there are so many different new ways and technologies behind energy resources, and America needs to lead in those discussions. I think that that\u2019s going to be very important for us moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>CLIMATE CHANGE<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Colorado is not on track to meet its climate goals, in large part due to slow progress cleaning up emissions from the transportation sector. This is despite a historic increase in electronic vehicle purchases. What policies would you pursue to reduce transportation emissions faster?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DeGette said the federal government needs to restore tax incentives for electric vehicle purchases and improve our transit systems. \u201cI believe we need to strongly enforce air (quality) and we need to take action against polluters like Shattuck,\u201d she said, referring to the Shattuck Chemical Company superfund site in Denver.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think EVs are great, I drive an EV, but if we\u2019re serious about addressing climate through transportation policy, we need to be focusing on public transit, and that is where a great deal of federal dollars would be coming in, making sure that we are designing our cities and our neighborhoods to be pedestrian-centered rather than car-centered,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cMass transit is a big piece of what it is that we can do so that people don\u2019t have the need to have to use their cars for short trips, and back and forth to work,\u201d she said. \u201cI think that that\u2019s very important to be able to be able to fund for people, and not just here in Colorado, but across the nation.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>IMMIGRATION<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>How should the U.S. immigration process be reformed?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DeGette said there needs to be a path to citizenship or legal residency for undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. who have not committed crimes. Dreamers (people brought into the country as children) should receive an immediate path to citizenship, she said. She said temporary work permits for agricultural and construction workers, as well as visa programs for high-tech workers should be expanded.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kiros supports a more efficient immigration process where people can move through the system faster. \u201cWe need more immigration judges, we need more case workers, we need more people at the border to process people as they\u2019re coming through,\u201d she said. \u201cBut more than anything else, we need to stop destabilizing other countries.\u201d She said that is \u201cleading to the influx of these folks that are trying to find refuge here in our country.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe should have a direct path to citizenship,\u201d she said. \u201cWe should be able to have a worker program that allows people to come to America to \u2026 work and then return back home.\u201d She said the country should be more open to people coming to the U.S. to study.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>DETENTION CENTERS<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Immigrants held at ICE\u2019s detention center in Aurora describe prison-like conditions with poor medical care and quality of life. What would you do to address concerns about ICE detention centers?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe private ICE detention center should be shut down immediately,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m opposed to privately owned detention facilities, and I always have been.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/coloradorelocationreport.com\/?p=365\">Colorado schools avoid budget squeeze while voters decide future of education funding<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have to release anybody and everybody that\u2019s in there without any criminal record,\u201d she said. Kiros called for more access to the facility for members of Congress to hold ICE accountable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI would abolish ICE,\u201d she said. \u201cThere should be no ICE detention centers.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>DISMANTLING ICE<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Do you support dismantling ICE? If yes, what should replace it?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>She said,\u201dICE should be defunded and dismantled, and also, while we\u2019re in the process of doing that, ICE agents should not be able to wear masks.\u201d She said immigration enforcement officers should wear identification, and they should have judicial warrants to search people\u2019s homes. ICE\u2019s duties, such as enforcing international human trafficking laws, should be transferred to other agencies, DeGette said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have to abolish ICE,\u201d she said, pointing out that ICE was a relatively young agency established in 2002. \u201cWe enforced our immigration before through the Customs and Border Patrol with local police, with federal police. There\u2019s nothing that has to replace it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have Customs and Border Patrol in place to protect our airports, to protect our borders,\u201d she said. \u201cHaving militarized people on our streets, wearing masks, in \u2026 plain clothes and in unmarked cars, is just not something that we should be doing in America. Terrorizing hardworking people for no reason, making families afraid to go to school, making families afraid to go buy food, arresting children is just not something that America should be doing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>HOUSING<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>How would you improve housing availability and affordability for Coloradans?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DeGette said she is working on a bill that would incentivize building homes for the middle-and lower-middle class and provide down payment assistance for first-time home buyers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kiros supports more government-built housing called \u201csocial housing\u201d for people experiencing homelessness and people in need of affordable housing. She supports zoning and permitting reform to speed up housing construction. She wants 30% of housing priced at 30% of household incomes, and she wants to see community meetings between existing residents and prospective buyers and renters, leading to the construction of more affordable housing in more neighborhoods. \u201cBeing able to break bread with your future neighbor makes it a lot harder for you to hate them or be afraid of them, and makes it easier for neighborhoods to welcome these kinds of developments,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>James wants to see a certain percentage of new housing priced affordably and an expansion of low-cost loans for first responders and teachers. \u201cHaving home ownership in the communities that you\u2019re serving helps make the community stronger,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>TAX CUTS<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Would you vote to continue the tax cuts passed by the Republican-led Congress and President Donald Trump when they expire in 2029?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cAbsolutely not,\u201d she said. The tax cuts in Trump\u2019s so-called Big Beautiful Bill are \u201cadding a trillion dollars to our deficit and our debt and they\u2019ve caused the greatest income inequity in our nation\u2019s history.\u201d DeGette said she would immediately repeal them and use the savings to pay for \u201chealthcare, housing, student loan support and forgiveness, and to pay for things like childcare and food security for lower income individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cAbsolutely not,\u201d she said. The cuts have served \u201cthe ultra wealthy and corporations. We are desperately in need of those dollars to uplift the working class, and so I would not vote to keep those.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cOf course not,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>STUDENT DEBT<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Do you support getting rid of student debt? If so, how would you do it?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>DeGette said she supports loan forgiveness programs for those who work in public service and who are below a certain income level. \u201cI don\u2019t see why we should be forgiving debt for people who go to work at Wall Street law firms,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople who go to work, for example, at a public defender\u2019s office, that\u2019s a public interest job. They make less income, and we should look at student debt forgiveness programs for people in public interest.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes, we just have to eliminate all federal student debt, but that doesn\u2019t address the problem of the rising costs of higher education in this country,\u201d she said. \u201cWe need tuition-free public college.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes, I think balancing the budget on the backs of students is entirely wrong,\u201d she said. \u201cI think that education in America should be made as affordable as we can possibly do it. On top of that, we should be lowering the cost of tuition and fees for students anyway, for all public universities. I also believe in supporting Bernie Sanders\u2019 bill, where a family of four making less than $100,000 should be able to attend a public higher education for free. I just think that that\u2019s just really important to be able to make sure that we have an educated society.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>STOCK TRADE BAN<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Do you support banning stock trading for members of Congress?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201c100%,\u201d she said. \u201cI think it gives the appearance of impropriety when members of Congress own individual stocks. Even if they\u2019re not doing anything wrong, it still looks bad.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201c100%,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>LOBBYING BAN<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Do you support banning former members of Congress from becoming lobbyists?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes, a lifetime ban,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes, I do, for a period of time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>TERM LIMITS<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Should there be term limits for members of Congress?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI do believe we have term limits already, it\u2019s called elections,\u201d she said. She said she also believes in public funding of campaigns.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes, I think they should be \u2014 18 years,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201c100%, not just members of Congress, also for (The Supreme Court of the United States),\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t believe that anybody should have a government job for their entire lives.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>ISRAEL FUNDING<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Do you support continued U.S. military funding for Israel? If so, should there be restrictions or conditions imposed on that funding?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m going to have to look at the budget for next year,\u201d she said. \u201cThis year I supported funding for the final payment for the 10-year contract for defensive spending, and I oppose U.S. funding for Israel for offensive weapons. I don\u2019t think the U.S. should be paying for Israel to be bombing other countries, but I do think Israel has a right to defend itself with the iron dome.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo,\u201d she said. \u201cRight now we are witnessing a genocide taking place, and until that genocide has ended, and until there\u2019s real material efforts for delivering aid to the people in that region and beginning reconstruction of that region, I don\u2019t believe our aid should be sent, and in fact it is illegal under international law and our own American laws to aid in crimes against humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>James described herself as \u201canti-war.\u201d \u201cI feel the same way about Israel that I do about all countries,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t believe that military funding should just be blanket-given to any country or any ally. I absolutely do not believe that we should be funding wars for countries that go against our beliefs and our ideals of what it is that protects America. Diplomacy needs to be job one.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>IRAN WAR<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Do you think it was a good idea for the U.S. to go to war with Iran? And how would you vote on a war powers resolution to end the U.S. bombing of Iran?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it was a horrible idea, and on top of that, it was illegal,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019ve had two or three war powers resolutions, and I have voted yes on all of them. I will oppose any funding for this illegal war.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo,\u201d she said. \u201cI would vote to take back the War Powers Act for Congress. It is in our Constitution that it requires a congressional act for us to go to war, and Donald Trump is without question trampling on our Constitution by engaging in this illegal one.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis was a massive, massive disaster, and should never have happened,\u201d she said. \u201cAll this war has done is shown our immense weakness in diplomacy. No president, Democratic or Republican, should be able to take America to war without a vote of the representatives that were elected to represent the people.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>DATA CENTERS<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Do you support data center development? If not, why? If so, under what circumstances?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere needs to be federal standards on data centers. They need to have full disclosure of the environmental impacts that they\u2019re going to have, which includes the impact on energy and water usage in their areas, and I believe that local government should have authority over approval of data centers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kiros said she supports Denver\u2019s data center moratorium and a bill backed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez that would place a federal moratorium on data centers until federal labor and environmental regulations are in place. She said data center companies should use their own sources to generate renewable energy. \u201cThis is our leverage as government,\u201d she said. \u201cWe take that leverage with these data center moratoriums and we force (tech companies) to the table, so they can agree to regulations that will protect our resources, protect our safety and our security, and ensure that we are not completely destroying our labor economy as well.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>James said data centers are often put near low-income communities that don\u2019t have the ability to fight back. \u201cI am in favor of looking at new forms of energy, which I think is the bigger issue behind the conversation behind data centers, and I am in favor of finding things that protect the environment and work with the environment, instead of using precious resources that we may or may not have, especially water, given what we\u2019re getting ready to run into this summer,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>A.I. REGULATION<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Do you think Congress should pass a law regulating artificial intelligence? If yes, what should those regulations be?<\/h4>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Diana DeGette<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cArtificial intelligence is here, but we need to make sure that it\u2019s not used to violate Americans\u2019 privacy rights and to take their sensitive data,\u201d she said. \u201cCongress is right now developing guardrails. I believe that we will be seeing bipartisan legislation within the next few months.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Melat Kiros<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Kiros said she supports data privacy limits on how AI companies can use personal data, and restrictions on how the U.S. military can use AI. She wants to see \u201cglobal cooperation\u201d on the regulation of AI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p><strong>Wanda James<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cOf course, it has to be regulated for numerous reasons, but most importantly in protecting jobs and developing jobs at the same time. So I\u2019m a big supporter of unions, labor work, labor workers, and we\u2019ve got to make sure that American workers are always at the forefront of how we build and how we allow artificial intelligence to come out into the general populace,\u201d she said. \u201cIt can be used to do really amazing things to help move us forward, and at the same token, it could be the thing that some people have warned that brings us back to disastrous possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/coloradorelocationreport.com\/?p=363\">Shannon Bird and Manny Rutinel try to differentiate in first major debate, but show they are aligned on most major issues<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Three Democrats are running against each other in the Democratic primary for Colorado\u2019s 1st Congressional&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":368,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-election-2026"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - 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