Latest news with #PimaCountyBoardofSupervisors
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Grijalva's daughter running for his Arizona seat
The daughter of the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) is running for his House seat in the special election set to replace him this fall. Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat and a member of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, announced her candidacy Monday in a post on the social platform X, saying Arizona deserves a 'progressive champion' who will stand up to President Trump and fight for working families. Grijalva said her father, who died of lung cancer earlier this month at 77 years old, spent his life fighting for justice, equity and dignity for the most vulnerable communities. She highlighted her record as an advocate, serving on a school board to strengthen public education and the board of supervisors to push for investments in affordable housing, child care and protecting the Sonoran Desert. 'Those are my values, and they are grounded right here in southern Arizona. The place I've lived my entire life,' she said. 'I know the hopes, the struggles and the strength of our community because it's in my DNA.' Grijalva also said the idea of America that her father's legacy represents is under 'serious threat,' arguing that Trump, Elon Musk and their 'gang of billionaires' are destroying schools, attacking sacred rights, poisoning the environment and hurting the most vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens, veterans, children and immigrants. 'But together, we can stop them,' she said. Grijalva will face Daniel Hernández Jr., a former Arizona state House member, in the Democratic primary, which is set for July 15. Hernández is a former intern for former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.) who received widespread praise for his role in saving Giffords's life during the attempted assassination of her in 2011. A Phoenix-based Fox affiliate reported that Grijalva will resign from her seat on the board of supervisors April 4. Whoever wins the Democratic primary in the heavily Democratic-leaning 7th Congressional District should be the clear favorite to win the general election, which is set for Sept. 23. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
31-03-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Grijalva's daughter running for his Arizona seat
The daughter of the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) is running for his House seat in the special election set to replace him this fall. Adelita Grijalva, a member of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, announced her candidacy on Monday in a post on X, saying that Arizona deserves a 'progressive champion' who will stand up to President Trump and fight for working families. Grijalva said her father, who died earlier this month at 77 years old after fighting lung cancer, spent his life fighting for justice, equity and dignity for the most vulnerable communities. She highlighted her record as an advocate, serving on a school board to strengthen public education and the board of supervisors to push for investments in affordable housing, child care and protecting the Sonoran Desert. 'Those are my values, and they are grounded right here in southern Arizona. The place I've lived my entire life,' she said. 'I know the hopes, the struggles and the strength of our community because it's in my DNA.' Grijalva also said the idea of America that her father's legacy represents is under 'serious threat,' arguing that Trump, Elon Musk and their 'gang of billionaires' are destroying schools, attacking sacred rights, poisoning the environment and hurting the most vulnerable, like senior citizens, veterans, children and immigrants. 'But together, we can stop them,' she said. Grijalva will face Daniel Hernández Jr., a former Arizona state House member, in the Democratic primary, which is set for July 15. Hernández is a former intern for former Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.) who received widespread praise for his role in saving Giffords's life during a 2011 assassination attempt on her in Tucson. A Phoenix-based Fox affiliate reported that Grijalva will resign from her seat on the board of supervisors on April 4. Whoever wins the Democratic primary in the heavily Democratic-leaning 7 th Congressional District should be the clear favorite to win the general election, which is set for Sept. 23.
Axios
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Dems prepare for CD7 special election
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, is widely expected to run but said she won't make any announcements about the race until after her father's funeral on Wednesday. Former state Rep. Daniel Hernandez already announced his candidacy, while Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said last week he's "strongly considering" it. 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. The field isn't set yet, but three major candidates are expected to vie for the Democratic nomination. The deadline to file nominating petitions is April 14. 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. Fontes was elected Maricopa County recorder in 2016, ousting longtime Republican incumbent Helen Purcell. He lost his re-election in 2020 but was elected two years later to be secretary of state. As Arizona's top election official, he's been an outspoken and at times pugnacious advocate for voting rights. 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: Fontes is charismatic and many people in Tucson like his fight, Farley said. 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 and Fontes will be able to tap into.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Who's running for Grijalva seat? Adrian Fontes considering bid, Regina Romero won't run
The field of candidates looking to succeed the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva is starting to take clearer shape a couple of days after his death left a vacancy in Arizona's congressional delegation. Representing a liberal stretch of southern Arizona, the seat Grijalva, D-Ariz., left open is a coveted spot for Democrats. Whichever candidate wins the party's July 15 primary is all but assured to coast to victory in the general election two months later, and, if the usual laws of political gravity hold, can hold onto the seat for as long as they want it. On Friday, one big name in Arizona politics signaled his interest in the race in the 7th Congressional District. Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes is "seriously considering" a candidacy, his senior adviser Steven Slugocki told The Arizona Republic. Fontes grew up in the border town of Nogales and he has held public office since 2017, first as Maricopa County Recorder and now as one of the top officials in Arizona's executive branch. Also on Friday, another political heavyweight took herself out of the running. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero wrote on social media that being mayor was "the best way for me to continue our work on behalf of Tucsonans," ending speculation over whether she would throw her hat in the ring. Several other possible candidates haven't yet confirmed whether they'll run. One of them is Grijalva's daughter, Adelita, who has long been seen as a natural successor to the seat. She sits on the Pima County Board of Supervisors, a position her father held decades ago before he got elected to Congress. Another is former state Rep. Daniel Hernandez, who has run for Congress in the Tucson area before. He didn't directly answer a question about his plans when reached for comment by The Republic: Instead he praised the late congressman's legacy and sent his condolences to the Grijalva family, noting that he, too, recently lost his father. His siblings, state Reps. Alma and Consuelo Hernandez, were also seen as possible contenders, though they have told local media they don't plan to run. A lesser-known candidate by the name of Manuel Vega has announced plans to run for the seat, too, introducing himself in a letter to media as a Democrat with experience in nursing and health care. The election is expected to heat up in short order: Candidates will be able to formally file paperwork on Monday to begin the process of qualifying for the ballot. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who's running for Raul Grijalva seat? The field starts to take shape
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Raúl Grijalva: Special election dates announced for late congressman's seat
The Brief Governor Katie Hobbs has announced the timeline for selecting a replacement for late Congressman Raúl Grijalva. A special primary election will be held on July 15, followed by a special general election on September 23. Grijalva died on March 13 due to complications from cancer treatments. PHOENIX - We now know when a person will be selected to replace late Congressman Raúl Grijalva in Congress. What we know In a statement released on March 14, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs announced that a special primary election for Arizona's 7th Congressional District will be held on Tuesday, July 15. The special primary will be followed by a special general election, which will take place on Tuesday, September 23. The special election is prompted by Grijalva's death due to complications from cancer treatments. According to the Associated Press, the Democratic primary for the now-vacant seat is likely to be a fierce battle between allies of Grijalva and a more moderate faction. Possible contenders include his daughter, Adelita Grijalva, a member of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, and Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, one of Grijalva's longtime allies. Dig deeper Under Arizona law, a special election must be held because the Congressional seat became vacant over six months away from the next regularly scheduled general election. The next regularly scheduled general election is set to take place in November 2026. The backstory Grijalva, the son of a Mexican immigrant, was first elected to the House in 2002. Known as a liberal leader, he led the Congressional Progressive Caucus in 2008 and dedicated much of his career to working on environmental causes on the Natural Resources Committee. He stepped down from that position this year, after announcing that he planned to retire rather than run for reelection in 2026. Prior to his time in Congress, Grijalva served in various public offices for decades, including the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board and the Pima County Board of Supervisors.
