PHOENIX — Adelita Grijalva, the daughter of the late U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, secured a decisive victory in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District Democratic special primary election on Tuesday. Her win positions her as the overwhelming favorite to take her father’s former seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Grijalva, a former Pima County supervisor, received about 62% of the vote, easily outpacing a field of four other Democratic contenders. Her closest competitor, Deja Foxx, a reproductive rights advocate and rising progressive voice, garnered just over 21%, followed by Daniel Hernandez, a former state lawmaker, with 14.3%. Two other candidates — Patrick Harris Sr. and Jose Malvido Jr. — received fewer than 2% of the votes combined.
On the Republican side, Daniel Butierez, a small business owner who previously ran against Raúl Grijalva in 2024, won the GOP primary with 60.7% of the vote. He defeated Jorge Rivas and Jimmy Rodriguez, who trailed with 25.1% and 14.2% respectively.
The legacy and reach of CD7
The election follows the death of Raúl Grijalva in March at age 77, after a lengthy battle with cancer. He served southern Arizona in Congress for more than two decades and was a prominent progressive voice in Washington, known for championing public lands, immigration reform, and education.
Arizona’s 7th Congressional District is a Democratic stronghold, spanning a wide swath of southern and southwestern Arizona. It stretches along much of the U.S.-Mexico border, covering areas in Cochise, Pima, Santa Cruz, Pinal, Yuma, and Maricopa counties, including Tucson, Yuma, Avondale, Goodyear, Gila Bend, and parts of the West Valley.
The district’s demographics and voting history heavily favor Democrats, making Adelita Grijalva’s general election path relatively smooth.
Looking ahead to the general election
The special general election is scheduled for Sept. 23, and it will be one of three races across the country that could impact the narrow Republican majority in the House. With the chamber currently split 220-212, any Democratic pickups could shift the balance of power—especially as Congress moves toward key legislative battles this fall.
Two third-party write-in candidates — Libertarian Andy Fernandez Jr. and No Labels representative Richard Grayson — also declared bids in their respective primaries, though neither is expected to mount a serious challenge in the general election.
If elected, Adelita Grijalva would continue her family’s legacy in Washington, becoming part of a small but growing number of daughters who succeed their fathers in Congress.
