In a race that exposed the generational rift within the Democratic Party, Adelita Grijalva has won the primary to succeed her late father, longtime Rep. Raúl Grijalva, securing the nomination Tuesday in a contest marked by national attention and political symbolism.
Grijalva, 54, a former Pima County supervisor, defeated four challengers to claim the nomination for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District. Among them was Deja Foxx, a 25-year-old activist and rising digital figure who had been widely seen as the race’s most dynamic contender.
Foxx, representing a younger, more digitally native generation, had captured headlines and built a high-profile campaign fueled by online fundraising, influencer-style messaging, and a direct appeal to progressive youth. Her message centered on the need for a “generational shift” within Democratic politics—a shift that, despite its traction online, fell short at the polls.
Grijalva’s victory reasserted the weight of legacy, local roots, and institutional backing. The Grijalva name continues to hold sway in a district that stretches across southern Arizona and includes portions of Tucson and the U.S.-Mexico border. Her father, who died of lung cancer earlier this year, had represented the area in Congress since 2003 and was a pillar of the House Progressive Caucus.
“Name recognition still matters,” said one Democratic strategist familiar with the race. “Especially in communities where political relationships are personal and generational.”
Unlike many recent primaries, this wasn’t a contest between moderate and progressive wings of the party. Both Grijalva and Foxx ran on solidly progressive platforms. The divide, rather, was generational—and stylistic. Foxx’s campaign stood out for its sophisticated use of social media, its alignment with millennial and Gen Z values, and its emphasis on narrative-building, including a forthcoming docuseries produced by a Democratic-affiliated media firm.
But in the end, Grijalva’s quieter, more conventional campaign prevailed. Backed by Arizona’s two Democratic senators, the Working Families Party, Emily’s List, and the Congressional Progressive Caucus, she built a coalition that spanned traditional power centers of the party and key grassroots constituencies. Her appeal rested less on novelty than on experience, trust, and continuity.
“She ran a disciplined campaign with strong ground support,” said another party official. “It wasn’t flashy, but it was effective.”
The result mirrors other recent Democratic primaries, where insider candidates with deep ties to their districts have held off insurgent challengers. In Northern Virginia, James Walkinshaw—former chief of staff to the late Rep. Gerry Connolly—secured the nomination to succeed his mentor, echoing the Grijalva succession in both tone and outcome.
Foxx, for her part, conceded gracefully. “This is not the end,” she said in a post-election message. “This campaign was about building something bigger than a single race.”
With the seat considered safely Democratic, Adelita Grijalva now heads into September’s special election as the presumptive next representative for the district. Her victory, however, carries a quiet contradiction: in an era dominated by calls for disruption and generational change, the electorate chose continuity.
