Who is running for U.S. House, Colorado District 1 in 2026?
Here are the candidates for U.S. House, Colorado District 1 on the November 3, 2026 ballot. This race is on the ballot for voters in U.S. House District 1.
Positions come only from each candidate's own votes, official actions, statements and questionnaire answers, never from party labels. Every item links to its source.
Side by side
Each candidate's position on the issues this office handles, from their own record. Details and sources are in each profile below.
| Issue | Christy PetersonRepublican | Chad HumphreyLibertarian | Melat KirosDemocrat | Critter MiltonIndependent | Shimon BlauIndependent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income taxes | No public position | Cut taxes across the board, including for top earners and corporationsSaid · medium | Raise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programsSaid · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Business regulation | No public position | No public position | Much stronger rules, including breaking up the largest companiesSaid · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Healthcare | No public position | No public position | Government-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)Said · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Abortion | No public position | No public position | Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)Said · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Guns | No public position | No public position | All of that, plus ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazinesSaid · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Immigration | No public position | No public position | A path to citizenship for most, and more legal immigrationSaid · medium | No public position | Tighter border security plus a path to legal status for long-time residentsSaid · medium |
| Foreign policy | No public position | Pull back from foreign conflicts and aid (often called America First)Said · medium | No public position | No public position | No public position |
| Energy and climate | No public position | No public position | An aggressive shift to clean energy with firm deadlinesSaid · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Politicians trading stocks | No public position | No public position | No, ban it for members and their spousesSaid · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Campaign finance | No public position | No public position | Overturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaignsSaid · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Childcare and pre-K | No public position | No public position | Guarantee low-cost childcare for all families plus universal pre-KSaid · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Paid leave | No public position | No public position | Create a national paid family and medical leave program plus paid sick daysSaid · medium | No public position | No public position |
| Aid to Israel | No public position | No public position | End itSaid · medium | No public position | No public position |
Christy Peterson
RepublicanOffice manager and accountant at a construction company
Christy Peterson is the Republican nominee for Colorado's 1st District. She works at a construction company doing office management and accounting, and did not respond to CPR News requests for an interview2.
No public position found on: Income taxes, National debt, Social Security, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Energy and climate, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Chad Humphrey
LibertarianTechnology entrepreneur and retired Marine officer
Chad Humphrey is the Libertarian nominee for Colorado's 1st District. He is a Denver technology entrepreneur and retired Marine officer who served in Operation Enduring Freedom, with an MBA in finance and economics from Pepperdine3.
Where they stand 2 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
Income taxesCut taxes across the board, including for top earners and corporationsmedium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site calls for abolishing the IRS and the Federal Reserve and putting people's money back in their wallets. (2026) source
Foreign policyPull back from foreign conflicts and aid (often called America First)medium
Said · medium confidence- His campaign site says "No new wars. No more playing world police" and calls for keeping troops out of foreign conflicts. (2026) source
No public position found on: National debt, Social Security, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Trade and tariffs, Energy and climate, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Melat Kiros
DemocratPrivate citizen
Melat Kiros is the Democratic nominee for Colorado's 1st District. She is 29, a former lawyer, barista and doctoral student, and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America2.
Where they stand 12 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
HealthcareGovernment-run coverage for everyone (Medicare for All)medium
AbortionLegal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks)medium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform says it is time to codify the right to abortion in federal law and to make reproductive freedom a constitutional right. (2026) source
GunsAll of that, plus ban assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazinesmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform backs universal background checks on every gun sale, a federal red flag law, and a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. (2026) source
ImmigrationA path to citizenship for most, and more legal immigrationmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform calls for accessible pathways to citizenship, full protection for DACA recipients and TPS holders, an end to for-profit detention, and abolishing ICE and replacing it with a different immigration system. (2026) source
Aid to IsraelEnd itmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform supports an immediate arms embargo on Israel and ending all funding to Israel's military. (2026) source
Income taxesRaise taxes on the highest earners and corporations to pay for programsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform backs an ultra-millionaire tax on net worth above $50 million, closing the carried-interest loophole, restoring a higher top income tax rate and raising the corporate tax rate back above 50 percent. (2026) source
Paid leaveCreate a national paid family and medical leave program plus paid sick daysmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform calls for guaranteed paid family, medical and sick leave for every worker. (2026) source
Childcare and pre-KGuarantee low-cost childcare for all families plus universal pre-Kmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform calls for universal childcare. (2026) source
Politicians trading stocksNo, ban it for members and their spousesmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform supports banning members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks while in office. (2026) source
Campaign financeOverturn Citizens United by amendment and add public financing of campaignsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform supports overturning Citizens United through the We the People Amendment and a fully publicly financed election system. (2026) source
Energy and climateAn aggressive shift to clean energy with firm deadlinesmedium
Said · medium confidence- Her platform calls for a Green New Deal, a zero-emissions grid and an end to fossil fuel subsidies. (2026) source
Business regulationMuch stronger rules, including breaking up the largest companiesmedium
No public position found on: National debt, Social Security, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Judges, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Critter Milton
IndependentTreasurer, Unity Party
Critter Milton is the Unity Party nominee for Colorado's 1st District, his fourth run for Congress; he previously ran in the 1st, 3rd and 7th Districts. He has been the party's treasurer for four years and is a former financial advisor3.
No public position found on: Income taxes, National debt, Social Security, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Immigration, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Energy and climate, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Shimon Blau
IndependentPhysician (pain medicine) in Denver
Shimon Blau is an unaffiliated candidate for Colorado's 1st District. He is a Denver pain physician with more than 20 years of experience and a small business owner who entered the race and petitioned onto the ballot after Melat Kiros won the Democratic primary2.
Where they stand 1 issues · tap any issue for the evidence
ImmigrationTighter border security plus a path to legal status for long-time residentsmedium
Said · medium confidence- Told Colorado Politics the country needs a strong, secure border and deportation of criminal aliens, and that Congress should fast-track legal status for long-term, contributing members of communities. (2026-10) source
No public position found on: Income taxes, National debt, Social Security, Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Abortion, Guns, Trade and tariffs, Foreign policy, Energy and climate, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Marijuana, Redistricting, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Supreme Court reform, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, AI regulation, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, Birthright citizenship, E-Verify mandate, Transgender athletes, DEI programs, Religion in schools, Aid to Israel, Aid to Ukraine, China policy.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Spotted something wrong? Every claim links to its source so you can check it yourself.