Dems prepare for CD7 special election
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Several major Democratic candidates are expected to run in the special election for the U.S. House seat held for 22 years by the late Raul Grijalva. Photo: Jason Wise/Getty Images for Green New Deal Network, Climate Action Campaign
It'll be a fast and furious race to fill the congressional seat formerly held by the late Raúl Grijalva.
The big picture: Grijalva, who was first elected to the U.S. House in 2002, died earlier this month after 22 years in office.
- His death triggered a special election for the vacant seat representing the 7th Congressional District, which covers parts of Tucson and southwestern Arizona, and juts into the West Valley.
- The primary will be July 15 and the general election on Sept.23.
What we're watching: Grijalva's daughter, Adelita, announced her candidacy on March 31. By the end of the day, she'd already collected enough signatures online to qualify for the ballot.
- Former state Rep. Daniel Hernandez announced his candidacy the week before.
- Secretary of State Adrian Fontes had said he was "strongly considering" a run, but opted against it and announced he would instead remain in his post as Arizona's top elections official, a position he would've had to resign to run in the special election.
Why it matters: CD7 is a majority Latino, overwhelmingly Democratic district, so whoever wins can hold the seat for a long time if they want, providing they don't do anything to earn the wrath of primary voters.
What we're watching: The field isn't finalized yet and the deadline to submit nominating petitions is April 14 , but two major candidates are expected to vie for the Democratic nomination.
Adelita Grijalva has long been viewed as a potential successor to her father.
- She serves on the Pima County Board of Supervisors, to which she was first elected in 2020.
- Before the end of 2022, she'd served 20 years on the Tucson Unified School District governing board.
Daniel Hernandez, a member of a Tucson political family, served three terms in the Arizona House from 2017 to 2022.
- In 2022, he ran for the Tucson-based 6th Congressional District, losing the Democratic primary to Kirsten Engel.
- Hernandez first achieved prominence in 2011 when he provided critical first aid to then-U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords after the mass shooting that killed six people and gravely wounded her.
What they're saying: Grijalva has "kind of got the best of both worlds," former Tucson lawmaker Steve Farley told Axios. She's done a good job of stepping out of her father's shadow, he said, and establishing her political personality, but will still be able to leverage the support of her father's political machine.
Between the lines: Hernandez has a base of support in Tucson, which he represented for years in the Legislature and has experience as a congressional candidate. He announced that he'd raised more than $100,000 in the first 24 hours of his campaign.
- Though Raul Grijalva had many supporters, there's also anti-Grijalva sentiment that Farley said Hernandez will be able to tap into.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with new details throughout. Check back for more details.