For decades, Arizona’s 7th Congressional District has been a Democratic stronghold, but the special election held on September 23, 2025, was historic for more than just another blue victory. Adelita Grijalva, daughter of the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva, not only secured her father’s seat with a landslide—garnering roughly 69% to 71% of the vote compared to Republican Daniel Butierez’s 30%—but also broke new ground as the first Latina and Chicana to represent Arizona in Congress, according to Cronkite News and multiple other outlets. The Associated Press called the race for Grijalva less than ten minutes after the first results rolled in, a testament to both her popularity and the district’s nearly 2-to-1 Democratic voter registration advantage, a ratio that’s held since Arizona’s statehood in 1912.
But the implications of her win stretch far beyond local or even state politics. With Grijalva’s swearing-in, the partisan split in the U.S. House narrows to 214 Democrats and 219 Republicans, making Speaker Mike Johnson’s already fraught efforts to maintain party unity even more challenging. Yet, it’s Grijalva’s pledge to sign a bipartisan discharge petition—one that would force a vote on releasing the long-shrouded Jeffrey Epstein files—that’s truly shaking the halls of Congress.
This petition, spearheaded by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and co-sponsored by Democrat Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), would circumvent Speaker Johnson’s resistance and bring the Epstein Files Transparency Act to the floor. The act requires the Department of Justice to publish every unclassified record related to the notorious financier’s investigation, including documents on Ghislaine Maxwell, flight logs, and the identities of individuals tied to the case. As of Grijalva’s victory, every Democrat and four Republicans—Massie, Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.)—have signed, bringing the petition to the critical 218-signature threshold needed to bypass House leadership, as reported by Cronkite News and other sources.
“There’s an old saying in politics that ‘when your opponent is drowning, throw them an anchor,’” remarked Todd Belt, director of the graduate political management program at George Washington University, in an interview with Cronkite News. “That’s exactly what Democrats are doing here. This is something that is dividing the Republican Party, and we have not seen anything divide the Republican Party since Donald Trump has taken over.”
The House isn’t scheduled to reconvene until October 7, but Grijalva could be sworn in before then. Once she signs, House rules mandate a seven-legislative-day waiting period, after which Speaker Johnson must allow a vote within two legislative days—meaning a showdown over the Epstein files could come as soon as October 20. If supporters succeed, it will mark one of the rare instances where a discharge petition overcomes the formidable inertia of House procedure. According to the Brookings Institution and records from the Clerk of the House, only seven such petitions have succeeded since 2000.
The issue has become a political minefield. Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender, died in jail in 2019 while awaiting federal trial on charges of trafficking young women and girls. His longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in his abuse of minors. The files in question reportedly contain explosive details about Epstein’s network, including the names of at least 20 individuals identified by victims, according to Massie’s questioning of FBI Director Kash Patel at a recent hearing.
The push for transparency is also being felt far from Washington. On September 24, just a day after Grijalva’s victory, family members of Virginia Roberts Giuffre and other survivors rallied outside Rep. Jeff Crank’s office in Colorado Springs, as reported by Colorado Politics. Giuffre, who died in April 2025, was one of Epstein and Maxwell’s most prominent accusers. Her brother, Sky Roberts, addressed the gathered crowd: “As Virginia’s brother, and on behalf of the survivors, I am here to remind you we won’t stop until justice is served. If you think we’re going away, you are wrong.”
The Epstein Files Transparency Act is supported by more than 20 survivors, according to Sky Roberts. The proposed legislation would require the Justice Department to publish all unclassified records, while allowing personal information about victims and materials that could jeopardize ongoing investigations to remain protected. Amanda Roberts, Giuffre’s sister-in-law, emphasized the bipartisan nature of the effort: “This isn’t a party issue. I believe we can cross those lines and come together and agree that pedophilia is wrong and that we have to protect our children.”
Despite the public pressure, Rep. Crank has not yet signed the petition. In a statement to The Gazette, he said, “I have supported transparency and accountability regarding the business dealings, investigation, and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein. The American people deserve transparency into Epstein’s dealings, and I support the release of all documents that shed light on what occurred, while protecting the identity of the victims.” Demonstrators handed letters to a staffer at Crank’s office, urging immediate action. The family stressed that the measure “does not need another election and can be signed immediately,” highlighting the urgency felt by survivors and their advocates.
The debate over the Epstein files is unfolding against a backdrop of high political drama. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced in July that no more Epstein-related materials would be released, a move that infuriated many on the conservative side, where suspicions about the files’ contents run deep. Former President Donald Trump, who once campaigned on a promise of full disclosure but now calls the drive for more transparency a Democratic “hoax,” has dismissed the petition effort and distanced himself from its Republican backers. Trump wrote on his Truth Social site, “I don’t want their support anymore!” and has claimed the Republicans behind the petition are “doing the Democrats’ work.”
Speaker Johnson and House GOP leaders argue that even if the House votes to release the files, the measure faces a steep climb in the Senate and could ultimately be vetoed by Trump. Johnson prefers to continue an ongoing investigation led by House Oversight Chair James Comer, which has already released thousands of pages of Epstein-related files, including a “birthday book” with a lewd greeting allegedly signed by Trump. Trump has denied the signature is his and sued The Wall Street Journal for $10 billion over its reporting—a lawsuit the Journal has called “an affront to the First Amendment.”
All this is happening as Congress faces a looming government shutdown, with lawmakers racing to strike a deal before fiscal year 2024 spending authority expires at midnight on September 30. The Epstein files debate, with its rare bipartisan coalition and intense public scrutiny, adds yet another layer of complexity to an already turbulent legislative season.
“I don’t think that this will ever be settled,” Belt told Cronkite News. “I think that for a lot of people, no matter what is in the files, they will suspect that there’s something bigger being held back. I think that’s true on both sides.” As Congress edges closer to a vote that could finally bring the Epstein files into public view, the nation is left to wonder what secrets may soon be revealed—and whose reputations might hang in the balance.
