Democratic socialist candidate Melat Kiros shocked Colorado’s Democratic establishment when she defeated 15-term incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette in the state’s June primary. The double-digit win exposed a growing rift over the party’s values that has left some Democrats stunned and questioning the future of the party.

Concerns Over Party’s Ideological Turn

Prominent centrist Democratic groups such as Third Way share that anxiety, planning to launch a $15 million campaign to combat the Democratic Socialists of America movement. Concerns over the party’s ideological turn aren’t limited to establishment Democrats, with some warning that the rise of socialism could hurt Democrats in swing districts across the nation.

Longtime Colorado residents like Gene Maine understand full well why socialist policies are appealing, but having fled the Soviet Union as a teenager, Maine sees unsettling parallels between the society he grew up in and the direction Denver is headed.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.