Southern Arizona voters have selected Adelita Grijalva as a successor to the late U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who was her father and a progressive stalwart who represented the state for more than two decades in Congress, according to the Associated Press.
Raúl Grijalva died in March, resulting in the 7th Congressional District seat being one of three safely Democratic districts to become vacant due to lawmakers’ deaths. One has since been filled. Another in Texas has yet to be filled, and a vacancy in a heavily Republican Tennessee district will be filled following an election in December.
Adelita Grijalva faced off against Republican business owner Daniel Butierez, to fill the final 15 months of the late congressman's term. Two third-party candidates were also on the ballot.
Adelita Grijalva has served on local boards, while Butierez made his political debut with an unsuccessful bid against Raúl Grijalva for the seat in 2024.
Democrats enjoy a nearly 2-1 registration advantage over Republicans in the district, which covers parts of Tucson and a majority of the state’s border with Mexico. Most of the 7th District has been represented by Democrats since Arizona first became a state in 1912.
Grijalva has been a household name in Tucson for years. While there are benefits to name recognition, Adelita Grijalva emphasized that she stands on her own record. The Democrat has the endorsements of fellow progressives U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Adelita Grijalva sailed to victory in the Democratic primary with more than 60% of the vote, defeating a slate that included a former state lawmaker and a Gen Z digital strategist.
Immigration and border security have been part of the debate, as the Trump administration moves ahead with deporting people who are in the country illegally and reviewing the status of millions of others who hold U.S. visas for any violations.
Adelita Grijalva has said she would advocate for legislation that creates pathways to citizenship for recipients of the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and other migrants. She also supports prohibiting immigration enforcement operations at schools, churches and medical facilities.
