Grijalva, Butierez win Arizona CD7 primaries
Deja Foxx’s surprising second-place finish energized younger voters, while the race highlighted sharp divides over climate, affordability, and border security in the diverse district.

Voters in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District picked their top candidates Tuesday in the primary election, with Adelita Grijalva coming out ahead for the Democrats and Daniel Butierez snagging the Republican nod.
Grijalva, who was considered the frontrunner, earned about 62% of the vote in a five-way race, while Butierez won roughly 61% in a three-person GOP field.
Both will head into a special general election on Sept. 23, where they’ll face off to replace Adelita Grijalva’s father, the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva.
While the outcome won’t shift control of the U.S. House, it’s one of three vacancies in Democratic districts that could narrow the Republicans’ 220–212 majority.
One of the surprises of the night was the strong showing by Gen Z activist Deja Foxx, who finished second in the Democratic primary.
Foxx earned about 21% of the vote, outperforming more established contenders, including former state lawmaker Daniel Hernandez, who earned about 15%. Patrick Harris Sr. and Jose Malvido Jr. each drew less than 2%.
In the Republican primary, Jorge Rivas captured roughly 26% and Jimmy Rodriguez received about 15%.
During their campaigns, candidates highlighted climate change, housing affordability and border security, with supporters backing those who either reflect progressive values or promise tougher border enforcement.

El Casino Ballroom in South Tucson was packed with hundreds of Grijalva supporters, who erupted into cheers when early results dropped shortly after 8 p.m.
Some came from out of town, including Valeria Espinoza, who drove in from Tolleson, about two hours away.
“She’s done a lot of the hard work, a lot of canvassing on the west side, so we wanted to come and support her,” Espinoza said. “I like her for her politics, how aligned and in tune she is with the community. It means a lot that she is someone who grew up in CD7 and is running in the same district. I do believe that she is someone who cares and values the community.”
Artemisa Lopez said she voted for Grijalva because she had the most experience and best background.
“She’s going to hit the ground running, because she knows Washington. During this time, we need someone who can hit the ground running right away and not spend a year learning what they are doing,” Lopez said. “I think she is a community person. She's everywhere, at the schools, at the fiestas, the churches, and if you call her, she responds.”
Grijalva greeted a cheering crowd with smiles and waves, her family, campaign staff and supporters joining her onstage.
“Muchas gracias!” she said, telling the crowd that they did this together. "I stand on the shoulders of giants, and many of them are here. This is a campaign that is multi generational, because this community is multi generational."

Grijalva said her campaign was about giving voice to the community and having real, face-to-face conversations.
She said she’d already heard from Sen. Ruben Gallego, thanking him for his support, along with Sen. Mark Kelly, former Rep. Gabby Giffords and Sen. Bernie Sanders.
“This race is not over. We can’t put anything past people,” Grijalva said. “We’re going to take a quick little respite, a deep breath, and then we’re going to come back stronger.”
In midtown, at Zerai’s International Bar, a group of about 70 Foxx supporters gathered to watch the results. The screen displayed a slideshow of campaign photos, and the crowd played games while they waited.
Foxx was met by a crowd chanting her name and expressed hope for the future and gratitude for making it this far.
“We were never supposed to get this far. It wasn't supposed to happen for someone like me, raised in Section Eight, housing on SNAP, benefits and Medicaid raised by a single mom,” she said. “But we have, we did.”
She reminded the crowd that her campaign was funded by small donors rather than what she called corporate PAC money, saying her campaign started a fire for working-class people across the country to lead, run and win elections in the future.

Despite the loss, her supporters were excited about the traction she built and what it meant for the Democratic Party moving forward.
Devin Narveson, a Gen Z supporter of Foxx, said she connected with Foxx’s story.
“She’s somebody who, like me, has seen what it’s like to struggle,” Narveson said. “I just think we’re in a moment right now where the game has changed. Politics is not business as usual, and we need somebody who’s going to disrupt and do things differently. And I really believe that she’s that person.”
Narveson said that even though Foxx didn’t win, she sees this as just the beginning for her. The campaign also lit a fire in Narveson herself, who had become disenchanted with the Democratic Party, to know there are people like Foxx trying to change the game.
“We’re slipping quickly into authoritarianism and fascism. This is not the time for respectability politics, we need fighters,” Narveson said.
Joshua Polacheck, vice chair of the Arizona Democratic Party, told Tucson Spotlight before the results were announced that regardless of who won, it’s a clear sign that people want a fighter in Congress.
“What I have seen, watching the debates, talking to the candidates, is that people are bringing a real sense of fight, and that’s what people want to see out of their representatives,” Polacheck said. “We want someone who’s going to fight back and fight for our community and fight for the working and middle class.”
Colton Allder is a journalism major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact him at callder1995@arizona.edu.
Emma LaPointe is a journalism, political science and German Studies major at the University of Arizona and Tucson Spotlight intern. Contact her at emma.m.lapointe@gmail.com.
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