
Arizona special election primary roiled by Democratic debates over age, experience and legacy
CNN
Tensions within the Democratic Party over age, representation and experience have roiled a special election primary in southwest Arizona, where a young, social media-savvy activist is taking on the daughter of Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who died in March.
Tensions within the Democratic Party over age, representation and experience have roiled a special election primary in southwest Arizona, where a young, social media-savvy activist is taking on the daughter of Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who died in March. Former Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva, 54, has sought to strike a balance between pitching herself as a continuation of her father’s establishment-bucking progressive legacy and embracing the broad support she’s received from Democratic groups and leaders. Her two top rivals — 25-year-old activist Deja Foxx and 35-year-old former state Rep. Daniel Hernandez — have sought to turn her last name and endorsements into a liability. “People are hungry for change candidates, they’re tired of legacy last names,” Foxx told CNN earlier this month. “The political establishment is not as strong as the people who make up this party.” The Tuesday primary has highlighted the ongoing debate over generational change that was further fueled by former President Joe Biden’s late decision to exit the 2024 presidential race following questions about his cognitive ability. All of the Democratic candidates have vowed to push back on President Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy law, which narrowly passed while House Democrats had three vacant seats held by lawmakers in their 70s who died this year.













