Adelita Grijalva, the newly elected representative for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, has found herself at the center of a political standoff that has left more than 800,000 Arizonans without a voice in Congress for over a month. After winning a special election by a wide margin on September 23, 2025, Grijalva has waited a staggering 36 days to be sworn in—an unprecedented delay that has broken modern records and ignited a firestorm of controversy in Washington and across Arizona.
The seat Grijalva seeks to fill is deeply personal. It belonged to her late father, Raúl Grijalva, a respected lawmaker who died in March after a long battle with cancer. Since his passing, the district has been without representation, and the urgency to fill the vacancy was palpable among constituents and local leaders alike. Yet, as October draws to a close, Grijalva remains in limbo, her historic wait now the longest for any special election winner in the 21st century, according to Bloomberg’s Greg Giroux.
The source of the delay is House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has consistently refused to administer the oath of office to Grijalva. Johnson’s explanations for the holdup have shifted over the weeks. Initially, he cited the need to wait for official canvassing results, which were certified on October 14. Then, as the federal government shutdown began on October 1, Johnson argued that the House being out of session precluded him from swearing in the new member. But these reasons have come under intense scrutiny, especially since Johnson swore in two Florida Republicans—Reps. Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine—during pro forma sessions earlier this year, less than 24 hours after their special election victories, and while the House was similarly out of session.
“Speaker Johnson may be blocking my swearing-in, but he can’t stop me from showing up for the people of Southern Arizona,” Grijalva said in a statement issued Wednesday. “Every day that goes by without representation is another day our veterans, seniors, and working families are left without a voice in Congress.”
Grijalva’s frustration is shared by many in her district and beyond. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes joined forces with Grijalva last week, filing a lawsuit against Johnson. The suit alleges that Johnson’s refusal to seat Grijalva is not only unprecedented but also unconstitutional, depriving the district’s residents of their fundamental right to representation. The litigation is ongoing, with no clear resolution in sight as of October 29.
The delay has prompted speculation about Johnson’s true motives. Many Democrats—and even some Republicans—suspect that the Speaker is stalling because Grijalva’s vote could tip the balance on a contentious issue: the release of FBI files related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. According to Democrats, Grijalva would provide the 218th signature needed to force a vote on making the files public, a move reportedly opposed by Republicans due to the files allegedly containing references to former President Donald Trump, a onetime associate of Epstein. Johnson, however, has categorically denied that the Epstein files have anything to do with the delay.
This isn’t just partisan finger-pointing. The controversy has drawn rare bipartisan criticism. Several Republicans, including Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Kevin Kiley of California, have publicly called on Johnson to swear in Grijalva. Retired Alabama Congressman Mo Brooks went even further, penning an op-ed in AL.com in which he wrote, “I’m a Republican. The House speaker is a Republican. Adelita Grijalva is a Democrat. But what is right is right, and what the Republican House speaker is doing to Democrat Adelita Grijalva is wrong. Period.”
Meanwhile, Grijalva is doing what she can to serve her constituents, even without official powers or a congressional budget. She’s organized a town hall with veterans to discuss the impact of the government shutdown, met with seniors worried about losing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and traveled across the district to meet with community members. She technically has access to her Washington, D.C., office, but with no access to computers or printers, she’s been forced to rely on her personal laptop for video calls and constituent outreach. “Yes, I have access to an office. But it’s kind of like somebody saying, ‘Here’s a car,’ and it doesn’t have an engine, gas or tires,” Grijalva remarked in a recent video posted to social media.
The stakes for Arizona’s 7th District are high. The government shutdown has already triggered a wave of uncertainty. Nearly 900,000 Arizonans depend on SNAP for food assistance, and with the USDA suspending the program due to the ongoing budget impasse, many families are bracing for hardship. Governor Katie Hobbs has announced $1.8 million in emergency support for food banks to help offset the loss, but the gap left by a missing congressional advocate is being felt acutely across the district.
The situation has also reignited debate over the powers and responsibilities of the House Speaker. Johnson’s refusal to swear in Grijalva stands in stark contrast to his handling of other special elections. Historically, the Speaker’s role in administering the oath of office is considered a procedural formality, not a discretionary privilege. Grijalva’s case has underscored how political maneuvering can override established norms—and the consequences that result when it does.
Some analysts point out that the only comparable delay in recent memory occurred in 2002, when Oklahoma Rep. John Sullivan waited 50 days between his special election and swearing in. However, that delay was due to a quirk in Oklahoma law, which allowed the election to be held before the seat was officially vacant. Once the vacancy became official, Sullivan was sworn in within 12 days. By contrast, Grijalva’s delay is entirely the product of political gridlock in Washington.
For now, the people of Arizona’s 7th District remain caught in the crossfire. The vacancy has left them without an advocate in Congress at a time of crisis, and the political gamesmanship in Washington shows no sign of abating. As the legal battle continues and the shutdown drags on, Grijalva’s record-breaking wait has become both a symbol of partisan dysfunction and a rallying cry for those demanding a return to basic democratic principles.
While the outcome of the lawsuit and the timing of Grijalva’s eventual swearing-in remain uncertain, one thing is clear: the right to representation should never be held hostage to political brinkmanship. For the voters of southern Arizona, the hope is that their long wait will soon come to an end—and that their voice will finally be restored in the halls of Congress.
