Adelita Grijalva won Tucson’s District 7 special election on Sept. 23, becoming the first elected Latina to represent Arizona — a seat which had previously been filled by her father Raul Grijalva.
For many UA students, this win marks a path in the right direction. “I’m happy with Adelita’s win because of the current lack of representation of Latinos in congress, especially during this administration,” Tomas Cid said. “She will make a meaningful change representing minoritized communities.”
Sienna Wiley shared why she thought this election mattered. “Students should be very worried about who represents them, and should stay updated with their voting history on the floor when elected,” Wiley said.
Despite her sweeping victory, Grijalva has still not been sworn in. Grijalva speculated Speaker Mike Johnson is deliberately stalling her commencement, to block her from becoming the 218th signature on the discharge petition forcing a vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files. House Minority Whip Kathrine Clark shamed the delay, noting how previous members elected in special elections have been sworn in within 24 hours.
Although Johnson has not directly responded, his spokesperson said the chamber was waiting on appropriate paperwork. The Arizona Secretary of State’s Office claimed that Congress has already received the paperwork. The house clerk notified last week that Grijalva was the unofficial election winner.
Grijalva continued to fight as she flew to Washington D.C. and met with the Democratic caucus on Sept. 29. She expressed her concerns that the rules changed solely for her win and the controversy of releasing the Epstein files.
Students like Isabel Holliday felt frustrated with the situation. “This is all very unsettling and frustrating, the fight never seems to end, but the fact that Adrelita flew to Washington DC and continues to fight even when they don’t comply assures me we are in the right hands,” Holliday said.
The delay in seating Grijalva affects not only her ability to vote on the Epstein files. It also halts Grijalva’s ability to open an office in Tucson, Washington D.C. and to hire staff. Because Grijalva was not sworn in before Oct.1, the delay may increase as the government faces a government shutdown over a GOP spending bill.
The setback in seating Grijalva impacts her ability to vote on urgent bills that directly affect Tucson citizens. “I hope this gets resolved quickly so she can get started working and representing all University of Arizona students,” Holliday said.
