YUMA, AZ — In some ways, it felt more like a campaign rally at a senior center in Somerton, just outside Yuma, on Monday.
But the candidate, in this case, has already won her race.
Despite that, she hasn't been allowed to take her oath of office.
"We want to show we are here and ready to work," says Congresswoman-elect Adelita Grijalva.
The District 7 Democrat won a special election back on September 23 to fill the seat in Congress left vacant after the death of her father, longtime Congressman Raul Grijalva.
Since then, she's been asking for House Speaker Mike Johnson to swear her in - but Johnson has resisted.
Speaker Johnson has referenced a number of reasons for the delay in the five weeks since Grijalva won her race, earning nearly 70% of the vote in the district that covers parts of the West Valley, Tucson, and Yuma.
House Speaker Johnson has accused Grijalva and Democrats of playing politics, urging them to instead vote to pass a Continuing Resolution, which would reopen the government, so debate over issues like healthcare subsidies can continue.
"Playing these political games is crazy," says Grijalva. "We are playing with people's lives. And it's a room full of people that I can look to when I'm thinking about who it is I am fighting for. That's what I'm fighting for."
Grijalva insists there is no game-playing on her end.
"He has all the chess pieces. He has the board, says Grijalva. "They [Republicans] have the House, the Senate and the White House. I am not playing any games. The real issue here is that I could have been sworn in six different times. I could have been sworn in during a Pro Forma session, which is what he did with two other Republicans. This issue, and the reason I am getting this attention, is because he continues to be a hypocrite about why I have not been sworn in."
Grijalva told ABC15 on Monday that she believes Speaker Johnson is stalling since she'd be the final vote needed to sign a petition forcing the Department of Justice to release more Jeffrey Epstein files.
"I truly believe that if that wasn't the issue, I would have been sworn in already because my being sworn in doesn't change the majority. Democrats are still in the minority. There is really nothing else I can point to when three other people have been sworn in this year in under 24 hours from their special elections."
Back on October 3, Scripps News Group's Nate Reed interviewed Speaker Johnson and asked him about the hold-up.
"The delay is because Democrats have shut down the federal government," said Speaker Johnson.
Johnson swore in three lawmakers earlier this year within a day of their wins, leading Grijalva and other Democrats to cry foul.
ABC15 also reached out to Speaker Johnson for an interview. His office declined, but referenced a recent interview where he said, "Rep. Grijalva was elected after the House went out of session. We are delighted to administer the oath to her as soon as we get back to regular session here, the legislative session.”
As for the Epstein Files, Speaker Johnson's office says the House Oversight Committee has released 43,000 pages so far and says Democrats are using this as a distraction from the shutdown.
Grijalva and others are pushing for all of the files to be released.
"They are all redacted," says Grijalva. "We don't have access to everything...This administration, Trump specifically, said on Day One he would release the Epstein files, that the transparency is there for the American people. How many months are we into this?”
While visiting with Grijalva, ABC15 asked her about the federal funding for SNAP benefits.
"I come with a heavy heart because I know that SNAP benefits are ending on November 1," said Congresswoman-elect Grijalva. "That means meal programs funded by SNAP for senior centers, Head Start, and all the ages in between are going to be devastated by cuts to meal programs."
According to the latest numbers from the Department of Economic Security, more than 850,000 Arizonans get SNAP benefits.
Grijalva says she doesn't agree with House Speaker Johnson's decision to take the House out of session while the government is shut down.
"We have to open up the House," she says. "We have to negotiate issues that are important and talk about these things. We have to fully fund the government."
Democrats and Republicans are also going back and forth on healthcare.
"I think the healthcare subsidies are important" says Grijalva. "People right now in Arizona are going to get their bills that show how much more they're going to pay per month and there will be hundreds and thousands of people that are going to opt not to have healthcare to have food on the table. In a civilized society, in a nation that is the richest in the world, why do people live in poverty and not have options to have preventative care and take care of themselves?"
