After DSA candidates roiled traditional Democrats with wins in New York City last week, Tuesday’s primary in a Denver-centered district tested whether the left wing’s appeal could prevail elsewhere. 

It turns out the democratic socialists’ reach extends well beyond New York — and it may well grow before the year is out. 

Melat Kiros, backed by the national Democratic Socialists of America and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, upset Rep. Diana DeGette, who has held her reliably blue seat for almost 30 years. 

“What we’re seeing right now is the response to voters feeling like the party has not actually been fighting for working people,” Kiros told MS NOW last week. 

The result is that Kiros, a critic of the Israeli government and high-ranking Democratic leaders, will likely be a member of Congress come next year. That happened even as DeGette cast the race as a warning, with President Donald Trump’s second term continuing to upend governance from the nation’s capital.

“Now is not the time to gamble and send somebody with no experience to Washington,” DeGette said during a recent candidate forum. “We need a strong, bold, hardened leader who will hold Trump accountable.” 

The result was one of several Colorado results Tuesday to test incumbents or prominent statewide officials navigating a turbulent moment in Democratic politics — one in which voters have shown an appetite for untested fighters over familiar faces who’ve served in Washington’s halls of power. 

The night’s theme wasn’t clear-cut; the three marquee races diverged on everything from ideology to questions of approach and clout. But each pitted an incumbent whose Congressional ties became fodder for a challenger.

In 2020, Democrats’ ability to woo former Gov. John Hickenlooper into the Senate race was seen as a boon for a party trying to unseat incumbent GOP Sen. Cory Gardner, one of the last Republicans left representing a blue state in the Senate. That move came after Hickenlooper’s 2020 presidential primary campaign fizzled. Even so, he faced a somewhat-competitive primary that year, taking 58.7% to his challenger’s 41.3%. Hickenlooper went on to win the seat that November by a little over nine points. 

A Northern California brewery has become the latest victim of declining alcohol consumption after it announced the closure of its taproom in a trendy San Francisco neighborhood.

“We’re sharing that our San Francisco Tasting Room will close Today, Monday, June 29,” a message on Ballast Point Brewing’s Instagram page read about the closure of its location in Mission Bay.

“We’re grateful to everyone who visited, shared a beer, celebrated milestones, and made this location part of the local craft beer community over the years.”

“Thank you for your support and for the memories we’ve made together,” it added.

Started in San Diego’s Home Brew Mart in 1992, the craft beer company has been a favorite of IPA lovers for decades, according to their website.

Known for fan-favorite brews like Fathom, Sculpin and Longfin IPA — the San Diego beer maker rocketed from local favorite to craft brewing giant after opening a flagship brewery and restaurant in the city’s Little Italy neighborhood in 2013.

By 2015, Ballast Point had become one of the country’s top craft breweries by sales volume — and landed a staggering $1 billion buyout from Constellation Brands.

But the brewery’s fortunes quickly went flat.

Just five years later, Constellation unloaded Ballast Point to Chicago-based brewer Kings & Convicts in a deal reportedly worth less than $100 million, according to Food & Wine.

Even as ownership changed hands, Ballast Point continued expanding its footprint, opening restaurants and tasting rooms across California between 2013 and 2023 — including its San Francisco location, which debuted in 2023, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Three years later the company announced to fans it was leaving, with no explanation as to why. It also pointed out people could still visit their tasting rooms in “Little Italy, Anaheim, and Long Beach” and find their beers at their favorite “local bars, restaurants, and grocery stores.”

“To everyone who supported our San Francisco Tasting Room over the years, thank you,” the message added.

“Your enthusiasm and loyalty have meant the world to us, and we look forward to raising a glass with you again soon.”

Other craft beer companies and wine makers have experienced similar situations amid declining sales of liquor, beer and wine over the past few years.

Earlier this year, major winemaker Gallo announced the closure of a large production facility and the elimination of nearly 100 jobs across the wine growing region of Napa and Sonoma counties. 

The company said there would be staff cuts at Louis M. Martini Winery and the Orin Swift Tasting Room in St. Helena, as well as J Vineyards and Frei Ranch in Healdsburg.

In January, Constellation Brands notified more than 200 people at the Mission Bell Winery in Madera that they would be out of work. And Jean-Charles Boisset Collection closed two Napa Valley tasting rooms.

Last year, two big Northern California brewing company’s — San Francisco’s Fort Point Beer Co and Sonoma County-based HenHouse brewing — merged in order to keep operating.

The number of American adults who say they consume alcohol has fallen to 54%, according to an August 2025 Gallup poll.