PHOENIX (AP) - On Tuesday, voters in Southern Arizona will choose a successor for the late U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva, a prominent progressive who served for over two decades in Congress. Grijalva passed away in March, leading to the vacancy of the 7th Congressional District seat, one of three solidly Democratic districts that became open due to the deaths of lawmakers. One of those vacancies has already been filled, while another in Texas remains unoccupied. A seat in a heavily Republican district in Tennessee will be filled in December following an upcoming election.
Adelita Grijalva, the late congressman’s daughter, is running against Republican business owner Daniel Butierez to complete the final 15 months of her father's term. Alongside them, two third-party candidates will also appear on the ballot. Adelita Grijalva has served on local boards, while Butierez previously launched an unsuccessful campaign against Raúl Grijalva for the same seat in 2024, where he garnered more than one-third of the vote in the predominantly Hispanic district.
In the past GOP primary, Butierez expressed optimism about his chances, believing he could attract additional Democratic votes this time around. The district heavily favors Democrats, with nearly a 2-1 registration advantage over Republicans, covering portions of Tucson and most of the Arizona-Mexico border. Historically, the 7th District has been represented by Democrats since Arizona achieved statehood in 1912.
Adelita Grijalva benefits from her father's well-known legacy in Tucson, yet she emphasizes her independent achievements. She has secured endorsements from influential progressives, including U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Adelita Grijalva decisively won the Democratic primary with over 60% of the vote, outpacing competitors, including a former state lawmaker and a digital strategist from Generation Z. Likewise, Butierez also won the Republican primary by significant margins.
The candidates have addressed immigration and border security in their campaigns. Under the Trump administration, measures for the deportation of individuals in the country illegally have been a topic of debate, coupled with a review of visa statuses for compliance with U.S. laws. Adelita Grijalva has pledged to support legislation aimed at creating pathways to citizenship for recipients of the DACA program, as well as other migrants, and also advocates for prohibiting immigration enforcement actions at sensitive locations such as schools, churches, and hospitals.
In contrast, Butierez supports strict immigration enforcement and advocates for deporting individuals who entered the country illegally during the Biden administration. This fundamental difference highlights the diverging approaches of the candidates regarding immigration policy, a pivotal issue in the district, given its demographic composition.
The outcome of this special election will not only determine the immediate representation for the 7th Congressional District but will also offer insights into the shifting political landscape in Arizona. With a rich history of Democratic representation and the complexities of immigration reform at play, both candidates are working diligently to secure their respective party bases while appealing to a broader electorate.
