Former Pima County manager Adelita Grijalva (D) is set to win a special election for the House seat once held by her late father, Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), according to Decise Desk HQ.
In the general election for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, which largely encompasses the southern border and parts of Tucson, Grijalva defeated local Republican business owner Daniel Butierrez.
Her victory was mostly anticipated, especially since in 2024, the district leaned heavily Democratic, with former Vice President Harris securing a 22-point margin, while her father previously won by nearly 27 points.
This win will shift the narrow Republican majority to a 219-214 split in the House, making this election significant for Democrats. Essentially, Republicans could only afford to lose two members from votes assuming all are present.
The slim margin gives Democrats more leverage ahead of the possible government shutdown deadline on September 30, which is looming.
With Grijalva’s win, it means that Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) now have enough support to back the discharge petition aimed at the Department of Justice regarding the handling of Jeffrey Epstein files.
When Grijalva adds her signature, it will bring the total to 218, allowing them to push for a vote on legislation demanding the release of unclassified Epstein documents.
The White House has faced criticism over its management of the Epstein files, especially after the Justice Department noted there was no “client list” for Epstein earlier this year—despite some claims made by allies of Trump before his death.
House GOP leaders have been working to engage their base, with the House Supervisors and Reform Committee meeting personally with Epstein’s accusers and publishing several documents related to his estate. However, their efforts to issue subpoenas have faced resistance from some Republicans.
