PHOENIX — Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes announced Tuesday he is seriously considering running for the 7th Congressional District seat left vacant following the death of Rep. Raúl Grijalva.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Fontes paid tribute to the longtime Democratic congressman, who passed away last week after a battle with cancer, while expressing interest in joining the race to represent the southern Arizona district.
“I have long admired Congressman Grijalva and his decades of service,” Fontes wrote. “I’m strongly considering running for AZ-07, the place where I was born, raised, served in the Marine Corps, and defended democracy.”
Fontes added that he will share more about his decision in the coming days but emphasized the need to first honor Grijalva’s legacy.
Special Election Dates Set
Governor Katie Hobbs has scheduled a special primary election for July 15, followed by a general election on September 23 to fill the seat.
As of Tuesday, 13 individuals had filed statements of interest, including eight Republicans, three Democrats, one Libertarian, and one Green Party candidate. Fontes was not yet among them.
Filing a statement of interest is the first step toward entering the race but does not constitute an official campaign launch. Candidates for U.S. House seats must live in Arizona, but residency in the district is not required.
