Arizona Primary for House Seat Pits Late Rep. Raúl Grijalva’s Daughter Against Progressive Insurgent

Rep. Raúl Grijalva’s daughter, 54, is running with establishment backing, while a 25-year-old abortion activist and social media figure is gaining ground.

Voters arrive to cast their ballots at the Phoenix Art Museum in Phoenix, Ariz., on Nov. 8, 2022. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

PHOENIX—Arizona is holding a special primary on July 15 to elect a new member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the state’s 7th District, replacing the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who died on March 13, 2025.

It’s the first congressional primary in a strongly Democratic district since the beginning of the 119th Congress. Grijalva’s daughter, Adelita, is running and has long been the frontrunner for the Democrats.

“If legacy means fighting for the most vulnerable, standing up to corporate greed, defending immigrants, advancing environmental justice, and protecting tribal sovereignty, then yes, I wear that legacy with pride,” wrote Grijalva on social media, alluding to her father’s legacy, which is a major argument for her campaign.

She is running with the support of much of the Arizona Democratic Party, including both U.S. senators and the mayors of Phoenix and Tucson, as well as progressive leaders such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).

Meanwhile, a 25-year-old abortion activist and social media figure, Deja Operana-Foxx, has dramatically risen in the polls over recent weeks with the backing of influential progressive figures such as gun control activist David Hogg.

“I’m not waiting my turn—I’m running to fight for us. From housing as a human right to Medicare for All to climate justice, this campaign is about building a future where everyone can thrive. Let’s make history,” wrote Foxx on social media on July 14. Foxx is currently polling at 35 percent support among likely voters, which is 8 percentage points behind Adelita Grijalva but represents a 25-percentage-point increase in her standing over the previous month.

The district, which covers most of Tucson as well as parts of southwest Phoenix and most of Arizona’s stretch of the U.S. border with Mexico, has a large number of Latino and tribal voters. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index score of D+13, the winner of the Democratic Primary is likely to win the general election on Sept. 23.

Raúl Grijalva, who died at 77, held the seat for 22 years beginning with the 108th Congress in 2003. The son of a migrant farmworker from Mexico, he was a well-known progressive during his tenure and chaired the Congressional Progressive Caucus for 10 years from 2009 to 2019.

The progressive legacy of Rep. Grijalva has influenced the race to choose his successor. Both Adelita Grijalva and Foxx present themselves as part of their party’s left wing, with questions of generation and experience making a difference.

Adelita Grijalva, 54, has served in local elected office for over 20 years, while Foxx, at 25, is at the minimum age of eligibility for Congress and has never held elected office—a fact that led to Hogg’s backing.

“Think about the impression this election will send to the establishment—replacing one of the oldest members of Congress with the youngest,” wrote Hogg on social media. His organization, Leaders We Deserve, which was created to replace old incumbent Democrats with young progressives, has spent $150,000 in support of Foxx, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.

Apart from the two leading candidates, former state Rep. Daniel Hernández Jr. is also running in the primary. In the Republican primary, three lesser-known candidates—Daniel Butierez, Jorge Rivas, and Jimmy Rodriguez—are competing.

Polls will open on July 15 at 6 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST) and close at 7 p.m.

The campaigns of Foxx and Grijalva did not immediately respond to a request for comment.