Adelita Grijalva Makes History as First Latina Elected to Congress from Arizona
Arizona has a new representative in the U.S.House, and she’s breaking barriers. Democrat Adelita Grijalva secured a resounding victory in Tuesday’s special election for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, becoming the first Latina ever to represent the state in congress.
Grijalva’s win wasn’t a surprise,given her decades of public service and deep roots in Southern Arizona. Throughout her career, she has consistently prepared for a role on the national stage, serving two decades on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board and, moast recently, as the first Latina chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, a position she held since 2020 before resigning to pursue this prospect.
By Wednesday, results showed Grijalva commanding a significant lead over Republican challenger Daniel Butierez, capturing 69% of the vote to Butierez’s 30%. The Associated Press officially called the race for Grijalva less than ten minutes after polls closed Tuesday night, signaling the anticipated outcome.
The special election was prompted by the passing of Grijalva’s father, Raúl Grijalva, in March. He had represented the district – encompassing a large portion of Southern Arizona and six counties – for over 20 years.The election served as both a continuation of his legacy and a new chapter for the Grijalva family’s commitment to public service.
The atmosphere at Grijalva’s election night watch party, held at Tucson’s El Casino Ballroom, was electric. Supporters erupted in cheers even before the first results were announced, energized by the booming music and Grijalva’s initial appearance. The celebratory mood continued as Grijalva greeted attendees with hugs and posed for photos, punctuated by the crowd’s eager reaction to Alicia Keys and Nicki Minaj’s “Girl on Fire.”
Grijalva’s daughter, Adelina, surrounded by students holding signs proclaiming “History made!”, was the first to publicly announce her mother’s victory, stating, “She’s always here for us just as she’s always here for Southern Arizona.” Her other children echoed the sentiment, with one son declaring their
generations.
Rahel Hehn,president of UA College Democrats,noted that Grijalva embodies the progressive values embraced by many young people,including housing affordability,LGBTQ+ rights,reproductive rights,and support for Black and Brown communities. The group mobilized students through door-knocking, social media campaigns, and voter registration drives.
State Representative Betty Villegas, a lifelong friend of Grijalva, expressed excitement about her taking over her father’s seat, stating, “We have a voice there now that speaks for Pima County and the people of Southern Arizona.” She emphasized the importance of federal representation for Arizona, particularly in light of recent funding cuts.
While Grijalva celebrated a decisive victory, her opponent, Daniel Butierez, gathered with approximately 70 supporters at Brother John’s in tucson.Butierez, while conceding the race, expressed pride in “uniting our communities together” and jokingly suggested he might take up fishing. He acknowledged a lack of full support from the Republican Party.
The election also included Green Party candidate Eduardo Quintana, No Labels Party candidate Richard Grayson, and nine write-in candidates. While the result doesn’t alter the balance of power in the U.S. House, it fills one of two remaining vacancies in heavily Democratic districts, potentially chipping away at the Republican’s narrow 219-213 majority. A third vacancy in Tennessee will not be filled until December.
grijalva will represent a district with a historically Democratic lean,where,as of August,40% of registered voters are democrats,21% are Republicans,and 39% identify as independents or other parties.
“History was made tonight as Southern Arizona elected someone who is going to fight for the people and not for the billionaires,” declared Josh Polacheck, Arizona Democratic Party Vice Chair.
