Two DSA-aligned challengers running in this week's Colorado Democratic primaries pitch a leftward shift in the party — good news for the progressive base, a warning sign for establishment Democrats.

• Malak Ciros is challenging Rep. Diana DeGette in Denver, and state senator Julie Gonzalez is challenging Senator John Hickenlooper.
• Both run on Medicare for All, universal child and elder care, affordable housing, and ending US support for the war in Gaza.
• They credit last week's surprise DSA primary wins in New York with energizing voters who want fighters over corporate-funded incumbents.
• Their argument: corporations and billionaires control policy, and the party's leadership ignores positions a majority of Democratic voters already back.
• They brush off the "too radical to win" attack, saying door-knocking and a clear moral vision beat the establishment's ads and big-money mailers.

Outlook: Colorado votes this week, and these races will test whether the New York progressive surge can spread to other states.