The race to fill Arizona’s 7th Congressional District seat, left vacant by the passing of Representative Raúl Grijalva (D), has intensified as two prominent Democrats—Adelita Grijalva and Daniel Hernandez Jr.—vie for the nomination ahead of the July 15 primary.

Hernandez Jr., a former state representative and longtime LGBTQ+ advocate, has demonstrated strong fundraising capabilities. Within the first eight days of his campaign, Hernandez raised over $300,000. His fundraising success is bolstered by support from pro-Israel donors and organizations, reflecting his active engagement with groups like Equality PAC and the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund. As of four days ago, the campaign reported that over $500,000 had been raised.

Hernandez, who gained national attention for his heroic actions during the 2011 Tucson shooting involving then-Representative Gabrielle Giffords, is positioning himself as the grassroots progressive in the race.

His sister, Representative Alma Hernandez (D-20), has not been shy about calling out the frontrunner, Adelita Grijalva. On May 5, Alma said, “It’s interesting to see @krismayes, who I opened my home to for a Jewish fundraiser in Tucson, and our family-organized and cured ballots for her slim win, now weigh in and endorse a person who is no friend to the community you claim to stand with and raising money from. Adela tried to pass a ceasefire resolution a week after October 7, very bold for someone who claims to care about antisemitism in our state, it’s all just pandering, y’all. It’s always the people you help!”

Rep. Hernandez has positioned this as a referendum on pro-Israel versus pro-Palestine views. She blasted Grijalva on X for accepting Senator Bernie Sanders’ endorsement, “I can’t imagine celebrating a @BernieSanders endorsement. He’s not even a Dem—and has aligned himself with some of the most anti-Israel, antisemitic figures in politic . If that’s who’s in your corner, we know exactly what to expec . Our district wants results, not rhetori . It makes sense why she would try to pass a ceasefire resolution only 10 days after October 7 happened. We don’t need a new member of the squad in Congress.”

Adelita Grijalva, the daughter of the late Representative Raúl Grijalva, has experience from her time on the Pima County Board of Supervisors and the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board. A quick look at her social media will show that she is the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. She is running as the legacy candidate, leveraging the momentum generated by her father’s decades of name recognition. Her campaign features many prominent figures within Democratic circles.

Grijalva’s campaign has attracted endorsements from prominent Democrats, including U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, and Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego. Perhaps most shocking was the endorsements of Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly:

Despite not yet releasing specific fundraising figures, Grijalva’s support is unmistakable. She swiftly gathered enough signatures to qualify for the ballot just hours after launching her campaign—a clear sign of strong grassroots momentum. All eyes are now on her upcoming Q2 finance report, where many expect her to post impressive numbers.

The Globe will continue to follow the special election in CD7.

We have previously written about this race here.