Adelita Grijalva
Adelita Grijalva | |
---|---|
![]() Grijalva in 2024 | |
Member of the Pima County Board of Supervisors from the 5th district | |
In office January 1, 2021 – April 4, 2025 | |
Preceded by | Betty Villegas |
Succeeded by | Andrés Cano |
Personal details | |
Born | Tucson, Arizona, U.S. | October 30, 1970
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Sol Antonio Gómez |
Children | 3 |
Relatives | Raúl Grijalva (father) |
Education | University of Arizona (BA) |
Adelita S. Grijalva (born October 30, 1970)[1] is an American politician who served as a member of the Pima County Board of Supervisors for District 5 from 2021 to 2025 and on the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board from 2002 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, she is the daughter of former U.S. representative Raúl Grijalva, and is the Democratic nominee in the 2025 special election to fill the seat he represented from 2003 until his death in 2025.
Early life and education
[edit]Grijalva is a native Tucsonan, the granddaughter of a bracero who came to the United States from Mexico in 1945 and the eldest daughter of former U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva.[2] She graduated from Pueblo High School in 1989 and the University of Arizona with a degree in political science in 1995.[3][1]
Career
[edit]Tucson Unified School District Governing Board
[edit]Grijalva was the youngest woman ever elected to the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board in 2002, serving for 20 years, making her one of the longest-serving TUSD Board members in history. [4] [5] In 2008 she received Advocate of the Year from the Arizona School Counselors Association for her tireless advocacy to keep counselors in schools.[4] She voted against firing the co-founder and director of Tucson Unified School District's Mexican American Studies program, and was the only board member who voted against shutting down its Mexican American Studies classes in 2012.[6]
Support for Israel
[edit]In 2011, Grijalva was one of three Latino leaders to tell their 'Israel story' at the 2011 AIPAC National Summit. Grijalva states "For us, supporting Israel is not just a Jewish value. It is the Latino value. It is an American value."[7] In October 2023, the Pima County Board of Supervisors was presented with two resolutions regarding the Israel and Gaza Conflict. One motion reaffirmed Israel’s right to self-defense and stood with their retaliatory efforts, while the other mirrored the same type of language, except showed some support for the Palestinian people. Grijalva voted for the former, to give "support of standing with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war" without any reference to the Palestinian people[8][9] although she did try to add language around supporting civilians and humanitarian aid which was "respectfully declined" by Sharon Bronson and Steve Christy, two other Pima County Supervisors.[10]
Pima County Board of Supervisors
[edit]She was elected to the Pima County Board of Supervisors in 2020 with 73.60% of the vote.[11] In office, she focussed on recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; centering safety, affordable housing and strong job creation as key to recovery efforts.[12] She served as Chair and Vice-Chair during her time on the board, making a strong commitment to working with community to create a coalition to address the biggest issues facing Pima County, particularly housing people can afford, education, climate, and water resiliency, and healthy and safe communities.[5]
Grijalva successfully pushed for the board to open meetings with a land acknowledgement to the indigenous Tohono O'odham Nation and Pascua Yaqui Tribe.[13] She was appointed chair of the board in 2023, previously serving as vice chair for the two years prior, making her the first Latina to hold the position.[14][15]
Due to Arizona's resign-to-run law, she announced her resignation from the Board effective April 4, 2025, to run for the U.S. House of Representatives.[1][16] Andrés Cano was appointed by the board to succeed her.[17]
2025 congressional election
[edit]On March 31, 2025, Grijalva announced that she was launching a campaign for the seat vacated by the death of her father, longtime U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva, to pursue the Democratic nomination for Arizona's 7th congressional district in a 2025 special election.[18] Grijalva met her signature goal in the first five hours of her congressional campaign, making her the first candidate to appear on the ballot.[19] Grijalva said Congress should be reining in President Donald Trump as he cuts the federal government workforce, claws back grant dollars and guts agencies like the U.S. Department of Education.[18] She criticizes plans for a new copper mine at Oak Flat, a project that refused to consider concerns by the San Carlos Apache Tribe and others that the land was necessary for their ceremonies.[20] She received endorsements from leaders including Bernie Sanders, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and a number of Tucson City Council members, Pima County Supervisors, and state lawmakers.[21][22][18]
On July 15, 2025, Grijalva won the Democratic primary in a landslide, defeating Deja Foxx, Daniel Hernandez Jr., and two others.[23]
Personal life
[edit]Grijalva lives in Tucson with her husband Sol Gómez, a librarian, and their three children.[24]
Electoral history
[edit]Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Adelita Grijalva | 18,834 | 67.33% | |
Democratic | Consuelo Hernandez | 9,066 | 32.41% | |
Write-in | 73 | 0.26% | ||
Total votes | 27,973 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Adelita Grijalva | 56,266 | 73.47% | |
Republican | Fernando Gonzales | 20,179 | 26.35% | |
Write-in | 143 | 0.19% | ||
Total votes | 76,588 | 100.00% |
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Adelita Grijalva (incumbent) | 19,418 | 99.00% | |
Write-in | 196 | 1.00% | ||
Total votes | 19,614 | 100.00% | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Adelita Grijalva (incumbent) | 54,700 | 73.33% | |
Independent | Val Romero | 19,524 | 26.17% | |
Write-in | 375 | 0.50% | ||
Total votes | 74,599 | 100.00% |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Nintzel, Jim (April 1, 2025). "Adelita Grijalva running for her late father's U.S. House seat". Arizona Mirror. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
- ^ Veselik, Denelle (September 25, 2022). "Adelita Grijalva discusses the challenges and rewards of being a Latina in leadership". KGUN-TV. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
- ^ Demers, Jasmine (July 23, 2020). "2 Democrats running to fill District 5 Board of Supervisors seat once held by Richard Elías". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
- ^ a b "Adelita Grijalva, Class of 1989". February 13, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
- ^ a b "Supervisor Andrés Cano, District 5 | Pima County, AZ". www.pima.gov. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ Echavarri, Fernanda. "TUSD Fires Mexican American Studies Program Director". www.azpm.org. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
- ^ * "AIPAC Latino Story" on YouTube
- ^ Valdez, Alex (October 17, 2023). "Pima County Board of Supervisors will discuss the Israel-Hamas War". Tucson: KOLD News 13. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ "Pima County Board of Supervisors' Meeting - Meeting summary Report". Pima: Pima County Board of Supervisors. October 17, 2023. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ Foster, Bud (October 18, 2023). "Pima County Supervisor's political differences laid bare after votes on two resolutions supporting Israel". Tucson: KOLD-TV News. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
- ^ Steinberg, Jake. "Democrats poised to expand control of Pima County Board of Supervisors - AZPM". news.azpm.org. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
- ^ "Adelita Grijalva, Pima Supervisor and Vice Chair, for District 5". Democrats of Greater Tucson. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
- ^ Kelty, Bennito (February 1, 2022). "Pima County Supes adopt Native land acknowledgement for board meetings". Tucson Sentinel. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
- ^ Ludden, Nicole (January 10, 2023). "Adelita Grijalva appointed chair of Pima County Board of Supervisors". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
- ^ Rodriguez, Paola (January 11, 2023). "Adelita Grijalva elected as first Latina Chair for Pima County Board of Supervisors". Arizona Public Media. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
- ^ Leon, Julia (April 1, 2025). "Adelita Grijalva officially steps down from Pima Board to run for Congress in Tucson race". KVOA. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ^ Hupka, Sasha (April 16, 2025). "Andrés Cano picked to replace Adelita Grijalva as Pima County supervisor". Arizona Republic. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ^ a b c Nintzel, Jim (April 1, 2025). "Adelita Grijalva running for her late father's U.S. House seat". Tucson Sentinel. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
- ^ Rodriguez, Paola. "Adelita Grijalva enters CD 7 race - AZPM". www.azpm.org. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
- ^ "CD7 Democrats differ sharply over the environment, taxes and economy | Arizona Capitol Times". May 28, 2025. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
- ^ "Bernie Sanders Endorses Adelita Grijalva in CD-7 race". Herald/Review Media. April 29, 2025. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
- ^ Downs, Garrett (April 22, 2025). "Grijalva wins progressive caucus backing in Arizona race". E&E News by POLITICO. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
- ^ "Arizona US House 7 Democratic Special Election Primary". Decision Desk HQ. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
- ^ "Local librarian sheds bookworm image in pin-up calendar". KOLD-TV. October 12, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
- ^ "Official Canvass - Primary Election - August 4, 2020" (PDF). Pima County. August 12, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
- ^ "Summary Results Report - GENERAL ELECTION - November 3, 2020" (PDF). Pima County. November 13, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
- ^ "Summary Results Report - 2024 Primary Election - July 30, 2024". Pima County. August 5, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
- ^ "Summary Results Report - General Election - November 5, 2024". Pima County. November 18, 2024. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
- 1970 births
- 21st-century American women politicians
- 21st-century Arizona politicians
- American politicians of Mexican descent
- Arizona Democrats
- County supervisors in Arizona
- Hispanic and Latino American people in Arizona politics
- Hispanic and Latino American women in politics
- Living people
- Politicians from Tucson, Arizona
- University of Arizona alumni
- Women in Arizona politics