Adelita Grijalva wins Arizona Democratic primary, fending off challenge from Deja Foxx

July 16, 2025

Adelita Grijalva has won the Democratic primary for Arizona's 7th Congressional District, the seat previously held by her late father Raúl Grijalva. She defeated her main opponent, 25-year-old reproductive rights activist Deja Foxx, after campaigning on progressive values similar to her father's, including environmental justice, defending welfare programs, and advocating for housing affordability. Grijalva benefited from her decades of experience in local politics, endorsements from progressive leaders like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, and substantial donor support.

Who is affected

Voters in Arizona's 7th Congressional District
Progressive Democrats who supported either Grijalva or Foxx
Recipients of programs like Medicaid and SNAP that Grijalva pledged to defend
Immigrants and those concerned with climate change, based on her campaign platform
Women's representation in Congress, as Grijalva's election would result in 126 women serving in the House

What action is being taken

Adelita Grijalva is campaigning to fill her father's congressional seat after winning the Democratic primary
Grijalva is continuing to advocate for progressive values including environmental justice, welfare programs, and housing affordability
Young progressives are engaging in the political process through social media platforms, as demonstrated by Foxx's campaign
The Leaders We Deserve organization is working to build generational change for Democrats

Why it matters

Grijalva's election maintains her father's progressive legacy in a congressional seat he held for 22 years
Her win represents continuity in environmental justice advocacy and support for welfare programs
The race highlighted a generational divide within the progressive movement between established politicians and younger activists
The outcome affects the gender balance in Congress, with women continuing to represent less than one-third of the House
The congressional seat is important in the context of Republicans' slim eight-seat margin of control in the House

What's next

Grijalva will face a special election in September for the 7th Congressional District
She will need to defend the seat again in the 2026 midterms

Read full article from source: The 19th