Image Adelita Grijalhalva Democratic primary winner for open House seat in Arizona This win is a historic victory in her political career. In this past November’s election, Grijalva won without a runoff, handily beating her opponent 70%-30%. 25-year-old social media influencer and activist Deja Foxx failed to come close to Grijalva’s momentum. Grijalva opened up a sizable lead of 30–40 percentage points. He performed extremely well across all seven counties that are fully or partially in the district.
At 54, Grijalva has spent over four decades in public service. She has spent twenty years advocating on the Tucson school board. Since 2020, she has served as a Pima County supervisor and chair. Her successful campaign was rooted in progressive values. She focused on protecting democracy, fighting for immigrant rights, and protecting people’s access to Medicaid and Medicare.
The primary election showcased Grijalva’s extensive network of endorsements from prominent figures in the progressive movement, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders. Together, these endorsements were critical to cementing her support among progressive voters who prioritize progressive policies above all else.
In her victory speech, Grijalva emphasized the importance of her win for the community and the legacy of her father.
“This is a victory not for me, but for our community and the progressive movement my dad started in Southern Arizona more than 50 years ago.” – Adelita Grijalva
Grijalva is resolute on wanting to establish her own political brand. Which is why she is finally about to emerge from her father’s immense political shadow. Earlier in her campaign, she stated,
“I’m not using my dad’s last name. It’s mine, too. I’ve worked in this community for a very long time – 26 years at a nonprofit, 20 years on the school board, four years and four months on the board of supervisors. I’ve earned my last name too.” – Adelita Grijalva
Grijalva’s decisive primary victory positions her strongly ahead of her upcoming challenge against Republican candidate Daniel Butierez in the general election scheduled for September 23. After that victory, she expressed immense gratitude to her supporters. She reiterated her commitment to standing up for her constituents’ interests.