Grijalva’s Victory in Arizona Special Election
Democratic candidate Adelita Grijalva won decisively against Republican opponents in a special election held in Arizona, a victory that positions Democrats to gather enough signatures to push for the release of Jeffrey Epstein’s case file when the House reconvenes in early October.
The petition initiated by Republican Rep. Thomas Massey from Kentucky and Democratic Rep. Locanna from California has stalled, with most GOP lawmakers declining to support it. Grijalva’s win, taking over from her late father Raul Grijalva, who was a long-serving Democratic congressman, is anticipated to provide the crucial 218th signature needed to authorize this release.
At 54, Grijalva secured the election with a stark margin, winning 87% of the vote against Republican Daniel Butierez in a district that leans heavily Democratic, recording 68.5% to 29.8%. Arizona Democrats had indicated prior to the election that they would endorse a discharge petition once they were sworn in. The House is set to return to Washington in early October.
As Grijalva expressed, “This is about fulfilling parliamentary responsibilities and ensuring constitutional checks on this administration. The days of overlooking issues with Trump must stop.”
Discharge petitions are unconventional legislative maneuvers that allow legislators to bypass leadership in order to bring bills up for a vote. If 218 members sign the petition, it can lead to a legislative vote.
House Republican leaders have claimed that Massey and Locanna’s petition may not reach the floor, and the House Oversight Committee’s investigation into Epstein could yield more information.
The White House has classified signing a discharge petition initiated by a GOP lawmaker as a “very hostile act.” Trump has frequently labeled controversies involving convicted sex offenders as “hoaxes” orchestrated by Democrats for political gain.
Interestingly, in spite of the pressure exerted by Trump and GOP leadership, three Republicans—Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, and Lauren Boebert of Colorado— opted to break ranks and sign this petition.
It remains uncertain whether Speaker Mike Johnson will try to prevent a discharge petition from reaching the floor, provided it garners 218 signatures. Previous GOP leadership thwarted a similar discharge petition from Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna that aimed to allow new parents to vote remotely for three months post-childbirth.
Adelita Grijalva plans to join the Progressive Caucus of the Left Council, an entity her father co-chaired from 2009 to 2019.
Her father Raul Grijalva, who served the deep blue region of southwestern Arizona for over two decades, passed away from cancer in March. After Grijalva is sworn in, the House will still have two vacant seats due to the death of Texas Democrat Sylvester Turner and the resignation of Rep. Mark Green earlier in the year.
