The 2026 midterm season has so far been marked by the cost-of-living crisis and a desire to bring in a new guard of spunkier, younger politicians who will fight President Trump.

In Colorado’s First Congressional District, which includes Denver and the surrounding area, these two issues are top of mind. Democratic incumbent Diana DeGette, age 68, is up against entrepreneur Wanda James and attorney Melat Kiros, who has been alive for less time than DeGette has been in Congress (Kiros is 28 years old, and DeGette has represented the district for 29 years).

James is a University of Colorado regent, entrepreneur, and military veteran. She started the country’s first marijuana dispensary owned by a Black woman.

Some in the district have suggested that she and Kiros might split the anti-DeGette vote, handing the incumbent a victory. Despite having by far the lowest amount of cash on hand of the three candidates—around $55,000—James has argued that she’s well known in the district and still has a fighting chance.

Kiros, a first-time candidate backed by progressive organizations like Justice Democrats and the Colorado Working Families Party, has $120,000 on hand. The vast majority of her money (all but $5,000 of it) came from individual donors.