Next week’s Democratic primary for an open House seat in southern Arizona appears, on paper, to encapsulate the generational and ideological schisms that have split the party since its sweeping losses in 2024.
The apparent front-runner in the special election is Adelita Grijalva, a 54-year-old former local official with decades of political experience in Tucson, establishment backing and powerful family connections.
She faces four other Democrats in the July 15 primary, including Daniel Hernandez, 35, a former state legislator making an economic pitch to working-class Latino voters, and Deja Foxx, a 25-year-old social media influencer and Gen Z activist who has built her campaign around calls for a fresh political perspective.
