Who's running in Arizona's 7th congressional district
2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
2 candidates · ballot order · Adelita Grijalva currently holds this seat
High confidenceHigh confidenceBacked by government records or the candidate's own official statements, with agreement across several independent sources.What would raise it: Nothing missing — this is the strongest evidence tier.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Abolishing ICE — "there is no reform for a system that is completely fundamentally corrupt" — while modernising border security.
A permanent path to citizenship for DACA recipients.
Protecting mail voting, which more than 80% of Arizonans use.
Colorado River water rights for Arizona, and conservation over data centre development.
Transparency over the Epstein files.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for the 7th District since November 2025; elected in the September 23, 2025 special election with 68.9%.
First Latina to represent Arizona in Congress; daughter of the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva.
Spent more than twenty-five years at Pima County Teen Court and served on the Pima County Board of Supervisors.
Was sworn in seven weeks after winning the special election and immediately became the 218th and final signature on the discharge petition forcing a House vote on releasing the Epstein files.
Won the July 21, 2026 Democratic primary.
Arguments in favor
Her signature was the one that forced the House vote on releasing the Epstein files — she signed the discharge petition as its 218th and decisive name minutes after being sworn in, after a seven-week delay in seating her.
— Contemporaneous reporting by ABC News, The Hill, NBC News and C-SPAN, November 2025
She won the special election by nearly forty points against the same opponent she faces now, and every forecaster rates the seat safe or solid Democratic.
— September 2025 special election results; Cook Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball and Decision Desk HQ ratings
Arguments against
Butierez supports ICE as necessary law enforcement and additional border wall construction, against her position that ICE should be abolished — a direct disagreement in a district that runs along most of Arizona's border with Mexico.
— Daniel Butierez, August 26, 2026 debate, reported by KAWC
She has faced criticism that she owes her seat to her father's name. She answers that "this is an election — you run or you don't run, and people are going to decide who to vote for. It's a very open process," while acknowledging the name gave her an edge.
— Reporting on 2026's congressional legacy candidates by NBC News and Punchbowl News; her own response
What we couldn’t verify
No National Republican Congressional Committee material naming Grijalva was found; the seat is not a Republican target.
The nepotism criticism is made by commentators and press coverage of legacy candidates generally rather than by a named opponent in this race.
She has served under a year, so there is little voting record for either side to argue from.
Support for ICE as necessary law enforcement and for additional border wall construction.
The SAVE Act's proof-of-citizenship requirement for voter registration, alongside keeping mail voting.
Verification of voter rosters.
The bipartisan Dignity Act as a route for undocumented people already in the country.
Arizona's Colorado River water allocation, and conservation over data centre development.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Contractor and construction worker; born in Tucson.
Republican nominee for this district in 2024, losing to Raúl Grijalva.
Republican nominee in the September 2025 special election, taking 29.4% against Adelita Grijalva's 68.9%.
Won the July 21, 2026 Republican primary and debated Grijalva on August 26, 2026.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
He has been the district's Republican nominee three times running and turned up to debate the incumbent in August 2026 — the only public exchange of the race — where he set out positions on immigration, election law and water rather than declining to appear.
— August 26, 2026 debate, reported by KAWC
He is not a party-line candidate on every question: he backs the bipartisan Dignity Act as a route for undocumented people already living here, opposes ending mail voting, and agrees with the incumbent that Arizona is short-changed on Colorado River water and that conservation should come before data centre development.
— Daniel Butierez, August 26, 2026 debate, reported by KAWC
Arguments against
Grijalva argues his position on the SAVE Act would burden voters, including women whose names changed on marriage; Butierez dismissed the point — "my wife got married and she managed to do it" — and she notes more than 80% of Arizonans vote by mail while Trump, whose election proposals Butierez backs, votes by mail himself in Florida.
— Adelita Grijalva, August 26, 2026 debate, reported by KAWC
He has lost this district twice in two years, most recently by nearly forty points, and every forecaster rates it safe or solid Democratic.
— 2024 and September 2025 results; Cook Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball and Decision Desk HQ ratings
What we couldn’t verify
No verified campaign website could be found; one domain in his name returns an error and another does not resolve.
No fundraising figures, party committee endorsements or elected-official endorsements were found.
He and Grijalva agree that Arizona is treated unfairly on Colorado River allocations and that water conservation should come before data centre development.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Arizona held its primaries on July 21, 2026. Two candidates appear on the November ballot: Democratic incumbent Adelita Grijalva and Republican Daniel Butierez. This is the third time Butierez has run against a Grijalva — he lost to Raúl Grijalva in 2024 and to Adelita Grijalva in the September 2025 special election by 68.9% to 29.4%. The district is majority Hispanic and runs along most of Arizona's border with Mexico, taking in parts of Tucson and Yuma. Every forecaster rates it safe or solid Democratic. The two debated on August 26, 2026.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Arizona ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.