(The Center Square) – Arizona’s elected leaders are honoring the life of the late U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva.
The 77-year-old Arizona Democrat died this month after a battle with cancer.
Gov. Katie Hobbs has set July 15 and Sept. 23 respectively for special primary and general elections to fill Grijalva’s seat representing Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, which lies along the border with Mexico. This week Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, announced he decided against running for the position.
A funeral Mass honoring Grijalva was celebrated Wednesday at St. Augustine Cathedral in Tucson. It was followed by a celebration of life with friends and family.
Grijalva served in the U.S. House of Representatives for more than two decades in a political career that spanned more than 50 years.
In a press release, U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, called Grijalva a “man of compassion and conviction,” adding the longtime public servant was driven to do the right thing for the people of southern Arizona.
“As the son of immigrants, he knew firsthand what it meant to fight for better healthcare, labor protections, education and economic opportunity for everyone,” said Kelly. “He was a champion to those who have been left out of the conversation, and he leaves a legacy of making sure everyone had a voice in the Halls of Congress.”
Kelly also praised Grijalva for his work on the House Natural Resources Committee to fight man-made climate change, preserve public lands and protect water resources for not only Arizona but the southwestern United States.
Arizona House Democrats called Grijalva “the quintessential Arizona story.” Like Kelly, House Democrats pointed to Grijalva being the son of immigrants.
“In a single generation he transformed himself into one of our state’s most outspoken, impactful and longest-serving leaders,” said the leadership team in a press release. “He succeeded through education, determination, and his inexhaustible drive to help and serve communities in need, and he showed countless others how to do it as well.”
On the local level, Maricopa County District 5 Supervisor Steve Gallardo called Grijalva a friend and mentor who will also be remembered for his time as a community organizer, a board member of the Tucson Unified School District and a supervisor for Pima County.
“My heart goes out to his family, friends, and the people of Southern Arizona who will no doubt miss his caring spirit and activism,” said Gallardo.
Grijalva was a graduate of Sunnyside High School and the University of Arizona, where he later served as an assistant dean of Hispanic student affairs.
