There were no surprises on a special election night, as Democrat Adelita Grijalva coasted to a resounding victory to become the first Arizona Latina elected to Congress.
That’s because Grijalva has been preparing for this role her whole career. She served two decades on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board. She was the first Latina to serve as chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, representing District 5 since 2020. She resigned her seat this year so she could fight to follow her late father’s path from local office to Washington.
Results Wednesday showed she was in the lead over Republican Daniel Butierez for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives with 69% of the vote. Butierez had 30%.
The Associated Press called Grijalva the winner less than 10 minutes into results reporting Tuesday night.
The race to represent Arizona’s Congressional District 7 — which encompasses a large swath of Southern Arizona and six counties — was prompted after Raúl Grijalva, Adelita’s father, died in March. He had represented the district for more than 20 years.
Even before the first results came in, the mood in Tucson’s El Casino Ballroom was ebullient, with more than a hundred attendees out-cheering the booming music when Grijalva made her first appearance.
She dished out dozens of hugs and stood for selfies and photos. When Alicia Keys and Nicki Minaj’s “Girl on Fire” came on the crowd again erupted into cheers.
The cheering became piercing when the first results were reported shortly after 8 p.m., with Grijalva leading.
Grijalva’s daughter Adelina, surrounded by dozens of students holding signs reading “History made!” was the first person to announce Grijalva’s victory. “She’s always here for us just as she’s always here for Southern Arizona,” Adelina said.
Her other two kids spoke as well, with her oldest son saying her supporters were “Grijalvistas for life.”
Allowing time for the cheering and whistling to subside after Grijalva finally approached the podium, she began her remarks by referencing her father. “More than 50 years ago, my dad started a movement based on dignity and equity for all. Fifty years later that movement is alive.”
“Some people call it a machine, we call it la máquina, but it’s really just us.”
Saying the community had just broken the glass ceiling, she repeatedly said she was the first Latina member of Congress in Arizona history.
After a long litany of thank yous, she returned to her dad. “I couldn’t say his name without crying,” she said, pausing to wipe a tear.
“¡Presente!” someone called out.
“Claro que está presente,” Grijalva responded.
Turning to policy, she said, “We reject the MAGA agenda and we will hold this administration accountable.”
She added, “Congress has abdicated their duties” and were “rubberstamping” Trump’s policies.
On her first day in office, she said she would add her vote to push to release the Epstein files. She also said she would focus on environmental justice and tribal sovereignty.
She told reporters afterward, if she had to pick one committee she would choose the Committee on the Education and Workforce.
Speaking of supporters of Butierez, she commended him for running a civil campaign, adding, “We have to bring down the rhetoric.”
Calling herself a guerrera, she said, “I have the hope, the strength, and the ganas to stand up to anyone.”
“No matter how dark things get, we must never give up.”
As she finished and stepped into the crowd of supporters, people began chanting “¡Sí se puede! ¡Sí se puede! ¡Sí se puede!”
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero said when supporters of Grijalva were knocking on doors, “We asked not only for their vote but for what they care about. The people want a voice that represents working families,” Romero said.
Calling Grijalva “my comadre,” Romero said, “This is her time, this is our time. This is where the hard work starts.”
Stressing the importance of pushing back against the current administration, Romero said, “We need to make sure we preserve democracy for our children.”
Rahel Hehn, the president of UA College Democrats, attended Grijalva’s election night watch party with a number of other students. A 21-year-old senior studying political science, Hehn said that the college Democrats recently hosted Grijalva to campus so she could meet with other students.
The goal was to both support Grijalva and get students involved in the political process.
“She represents a lot of the progressive values young people are embracing,” Hehn said of Grijalva. She listed housing affordability, social issues such as LGBTQ rights, reproductive rights, and support of Black and Brown communities.
Hehn said that while “the student base was split during the primary” between Grijalva and Deja Foxx, they rallied around Grijalva when she won the primary.
The group door-knocked, ran social campaigns, and encouraged fellow students to register to vote.
Betty Villegas, the state representative from Legislative District 20, has known Grijalva since they were children. She said she’s excited to see her take over her father’s seat. “We have a voice there now that speaks for Pima County and the people of Southern Arizona.”
Villegas said federal politics “really affects us in Arizona.” She said funding cuts from this summer’s reconciliation bill have already started to impact Southern Arizona. “That’s why it’s so important to have representation there.”
“She doesn’t have the same style as Raúl, but she knows how to get things done,” Villegas said.
Earlier in the night, about 70 Butierez supporters gathered at Brother John’s in Tucson for cocktails, beers, star-shaped balloons and prayer. When Butierez first appeared, people rose to their feet. With the scent of barbecue wafting throughout the room, Butierez held his young grandson and addressed the crowd.
Butierez said that if he loses, he plans to go fishing. “I’m tired. I just want to forget about this a little bit.”
He said he felt that he didn’t get enough support from the Republican Party, but was proud of “uniting our communities together.”
Butierez was the leader in Pinal County with about 62%, or 408 votes.
Linda Myers, 68, said she had never had the chance to come to a watch party before, and wanted to see what it was all about. “I think he’ll do a great job,” Myers said of Butierez. “Grijalva is not a great fit. I’m tired of the same old stuff.”
She said she supports Butierez because “he’s a regular guy, not a politician.” She added that she was “all for Trump” and hopes that people let him finish what he started. “Otherwise we’re in a world of hurt.”
After a break, Butierez said he’d get back to focus on his business and helping homeless communities. “My passion is for the homeless. I’ll continue working with them.”
Also on today’s ballot were Green Party candidate Eduardo Quintana and No Labels Party candidate Richard Grayson plus nine write-in candidates.
The seat doesn’t decide control of the U.S. House, but it is one of two remaining vacancies in heavily Democratic districts that could chip away at Republicans’ slender 219-213 majority in the chamber. A third vacancy in a heavily Republican Tennessee district won’t be filled until December.
Grijalva will serve in what has historically been one of Arizona’s most Democratic districts. As of August, 40% of registered voters were Democrats, 21% Republicans, and 39% independents and other parties.
“History was made tonight as Southern Arizona elected someone who is going to fight for the people and not for the billionaires,” Josh Polacheck, Arizona Democratic Party Vice Chair, told Arizona Luminaria.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print.
