Grijalva wins Arizona's 7th District Democratic nod
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Photo courtesy of Adelita Grijalva's campaign
Adelita Grijalva cruised to victory in Tuesday's special primary election for Arizona's 7th Congressional District, dominating the five-candidate field, the Associated Press reported.
Why it matters: The Democratic primary victory all but assures she'll win the U.S. House seat her father held for more than two decades.
State of play: Grijalva, long viewed as the frontrunner in the five-way race, easily fended off an energetic challenge from Gen Z activist Deja Foxx with about 62% of the vote Tuesday night
- Foxx had 19% and former state Rep. Daniel Hernandez had 14%.
Context: The district is heavily Democratic, meaning the primary winner will almost certainly win the Sept. 23 general election.
Catch up quick: U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva died in March, triggering a special election in southwestern Arizona-based CD7, which runs from Tucson to Yuma and into the southwestern Phoenix area.
- He was elected to Congress in 2002 and held his seat for 22 years.
Zoom in: Adelita Grijalva served for two decades on the Tucson Unified School District Board and spent four years on the Pima County Board of Supervisors.
- She touted her progressive credentials on the campaign trail and ran with the backing of prominent Democrats like U.S. Sens. Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly, more than two dozen U.S. House members, various labor groups, and scores of state and local officials in Arizona.
The intrigue: Foxx, a Gen Z influencer who boasts nearly 400,000 followers on TikTok and 245,000 on Instagram, campaigned as a new-generation leader.
- She began organizing at age 16, pushing for updates to TUSD's sex-ed policy, and went viral for confronting then-Republican U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake over voting to defund Planned Parenthood.
- Leaders We Deserve, the political action committee of activist and former Democratic National Committee vice chair David Hogg, backed Foxx.
Yes, but: Adelita Grijalva had the support of major progressive figures like U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
What she's saying: "We didn't get distracted by the noise or national headlines," Grijalva said in a press statement. "We kept our heads down, did the work, and delivered a message rooted not just in fighting back against a dangerous and tyrannical administration - but in fighting for something: for our democracy, for the dignity of working people, and for the values that truly define Southern Arizona."
What's next: Grijalva will face Republican nominee Daniel Butierez in the general election.