Democrat Adelita Grijalva wins Arizona 7th in special election, narrowing GOP House majority

Democrat Adelita Grijalva won a Tuesday special election in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, securing the seat left vacant by the death of her father, Rep. Raúl Grijalva. The victory keeps a Democratic lining in a district that leans toward the left and further erodes Republicans’ razor-thin House majority amid ongoing vacancies.

Grijalva’s win in southern Arizona, a district that stretches from Yuma to Tucson along much of the border with Mexico, reinforces Democrats’ edge in a heavily Hispanic district. The electorate in this district has long favored Democratic candidates, aided by a registration advantage that skews heavily toward Democrats in the border region.

The district’s political dynamic was clear in the campaign battlefield: Grijalva, who previously served as a Pima County supervisor, ran on a platform aligned with national Democrats, while Republican Daniel Butierez framed himself as the “change candidate” in a seat that had trended Democratic for years. Grijalva was boosted by familial name recognition and support from national progressives, including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, helping her secure more than 60% of the primary vote in a five-candidate field. In her messaging, she targeted President Donald Trump’s policy agenda and pledged to counter what she described as a sweeping conservative bill package.

If elected, Grijalva said she would immediately sign a discharge petition led by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie that would force the House to vote on the Justice Department’s release of materials related to the late Jeffrey Epstein case. The petition has not yet reached the threshold needed to force a floor vote, but Grijalva’s early commitment underscored her willingness to leverage House rules to press for information.

Butierez, who previously ran as the Republican nominee in 2024 and won the party’s nomination in the special election cycle, campaigned as a pragmatic choice who would represent a broad spectrum of constituents. He argued that the district’s voters deserve a representative who can bridge divides and deliver results in a Congress that often finds itself gridlocked. During a televised debate in August, Butierez and Grijalva exchanged arguments about crime, border policy, and fiscal priorities as voters evaluated which direction the district should take.

The party dynamics surrounding Arizona’s 7th district reflect broader national headlines: Trump was not on the ballot in the 2024 presidential race in this district, but his influence remains a central feature of political discourse. Grijalva’s campaign articulated a stance against what it termed the “cruel” aspects of Trump’s policy agenda, while opponents argued for a more centrist or mixed approach to governance. The outcome reinforces how district-level elections can influence the trajectory of a divided Congress, particularly in a year when the House majority remains fragile.

In a statement after the race was called, Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin highlighted Grijalva’s victory as a sign that Arizonans want steady leadership that can stand up to Trump on behalf of families seeking reliable health care, education, and economic opportunity. The victory also positions Grijalva to influence policy debates in Washington during the remaining 15 months of the term originally held by her father.

The House remains under GOP control with a 219-214 margin, though the majority has been closely watched due to two vacant seats in Texas and Tennessee. Arizona’s 7th District is one of several special elections designed to fill vacancies that have cropped up in the 118th Congress. The party balance in the House can shift not only with general elections but with these smaller, high-stakes races that often determine which party can set the legislative pace on a variety of issues.

Beyond Arizona, voters will also decide in Texas 18 and Tennessee 7 on separate dates later this year to fill seats left vacant by longtime members. The Texas race is scheduled for November 4, Election Day 2025, while Tennessee’s contest will be held on December 2. These races carry symbolic weight as the broader political landscape tests the durability of the current coalition in Congress and potential realignments ahead of the next cycle.

Grijalva’s victory also marks a historical moment for Arizona, making her the first Latina to represent the state in Congress. Her campaign and win come as Democrats seek to capitalize on demographic shifts within the state and to strengthen their foothold in battleground districts that could influence control of the House in the longer term.

As the term progresses, Grijalva will face a legislative agenda shaped by a narrowly divided chamber, where party leaders must navigate competing priorities from their coalition of progressives and centrists. Her role in the 15-month window left by her father’s passing will test how effectively new members can transition into established roles and influence policy despite a divided political environment.