Arizona’s Republican Party has nominated Daniel Butierez, a contractor and small business owner, to represent the state’s 7th congressional district, a region that spans a significant portion of the U.S.-Mexico border. The decision comes as the Republican party places a strong emphasis on border security, a central issue for the district. Butierez’s nomination positions him to run against Adelita Grijalva, the daughter of the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva, in the upcoming November election.
The special primary election to determine the Republican nominee saw all three candidates focus on border security, aligning their platforms with the policies of former President Donald Trump. This issue has been a central theme for their campaigns, with all candidates vowing to enforce a stringent border policy. The Republican nominee, Butierez, is set to challenge Adelita Grijalva in the race to replace her father, whose death in March has triggered a competitive Democratic primary. The district, which includes parts of Tucson, Yuma, and Nogales, is historically reliable for the Democratic Party, making Butierez’s task formidable.
The late Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who represented Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives for over two decades, had a prominent role in the state’s political landscape until his death from lung cancer complications in March. His passing has set the stage for a new chapter in the district’s political representation. The Democratic primary saw a range of candidates, including Adelita Grijalva, her father’s daughter, backed by prominent Democrats like Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and social media influencer Deja Foxx, who received an endorsement from David Hogg’s super PAC. Other contenders included former Arizona representative Daniel Hernandez, progressive businessman Patrick Harris Sr., and environmental justice scholar José Malvido Jr.
Butierez, who received 37% of the vote in the 2024 Republican primary against Grijalva, has pledged to ‘fight to keep our border secure, slash taxes where appropriate, and crush the fentanyl crisis destroying Arizona families.’ The Republican primary saw other candidates like Jorge Rivas, a restaurant owner from Tucson, who gained national attention when Trump tweeted a photo of him wearing a ‘Latinos Love Trump’ cowboy hat at a 2020 rally, and Jimmy Rodriguez, a general contractor and business owner, vying for the nomination. As the special election approaches, the race for the 7th district seat remains a focal point for both parties in a politically significant region of Arizona.