It’s been more than a month since Adelita Grijalva, a Democrat from Arizona, won a special election to fill her late father’s seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Yet, as of October 31, 2025, she remains in what she calls a “Twilight Zone limbo”—unable to take her oath of office and serve the people who elected her. The delay, orchestrated by House Speaker Mike Johnson, has sparked outrage in Arizona and Washington, lawsuits, and accusations of political maneuvering at the highest levels of government.
Grijalva’s situation began after her decisive victory on September 23, 2025. She was elected to represent Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, a region her father, Raul Grijalva, served for 22 years until his death from cancer in March. The district spans much of Arizona’s border with Mexico and has long relied on strong constituent services—a tradition Grijalva hoped to continue. But instead of stepping into her new role, she’s spent the last 35 days waiting for Speaker Johnson to swear her in.
According to Border Report, Grijalva’s frustration is palpable. “Here I am, more than 35 days and waiting. We have broken the record for waiting the longest because the Speaker refuses to swear someone in, it’s not fair, it’s not right and it’s not constitutional,” she said. Grijalva contrasted her experience with that of two Republican representatives who, on April 2, 2025, were sworn in less than 24 hours after their election. “Two Republicans on April 2nd were sworn in less than 24 hours from the date of their election,” she noted, emphasizing the disparity.
Speaker Johnson, for his part, has cited the ongoing government shutdown as the reason for the delay. He’s invoked what he calls the “Pelosi Precedent,” referring to former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s practice of waiting until the House returned from recess to swear in new members. “So, I will administer the oath to her on the first day we come back [to] legislative session, I’m willing and anxious to do that,” Johnson told CNN. He maintains that he is simply following established procedure and is not targeting Grijalva for political reasons.
But this explanation has failed to satisfy many observers, especially since Johnson previously swore in two Republican members during a pro forma session while the chamber was out of session. This inconsistency has led to accusations of partisanship. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, sent Johnson a letter urging him to seat Grijalva, pointing out the swift action taken for Republican elects in April. As quoted by MSNBC, Jeffries wrote, “The decision to seat right-wing Republicans with record speed, while denying a newly elected Democrat the opportunity to serve is an unacceptable disgrace.”
The delay has real consequences for Grijalva’s constituents. Without being sworn in, she cannot open a district office, hire staff, or provide constituent services. “I don’t have constituents until I’m sworn in. I can’t provide any constituent services. We cannot open an office in my district. I don’t have an operating budget,” Grijalva explained to Border Report. “I got keys to my dad’s office in D.C., which is empty. I have printers that I can’t print to. I can’t take constituent calls. I’m supposed to tell them go and talk to your Senators Gallego or Kelly because I can’t help you and that’s essentially what the situation is.”
Many in Arizona are feeling the impact. Belinda Romero, a long-time constituent and friend of the Grijalva family, recounted to MSNBC how Raul Grijalva once helped her resolve issues with Social Security and her son’s unemployment. “He handled that situation. I had problems with my son’s unemployment that they didn’t want to pay him, and he handled it,” she said. Romero and others are frustrated that their new representative is being kept from serving them, especially given the district’s legacy of hands-on support.
The legal battle escalated last week when Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes filed a lawsuit against Speaker Johnson, arguing that his actions are denying more than 800,000 Arizonans their constitutional right to representation. According to the lawsuit, “This case is about whether someone duly elected to the House, may be denied her rightful office simply because the Speaker has decided to keep the House out of ‘regular session.’” Mayes is asking the court to allow another representative to administer the oath if Johnson continues to refuse, citing harm to Arizona’s interests as the shutdown drags on.
Political intrigue surrounds the impasse. Democrats allege that Johnson’s refusal is linked to a bipartisan petition to release the so-called “Epstein Files”—records related to the late sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, who had ties to former President Donald Trump. Grijalva would be the 218th signer, potentially tipping the balance needed for a House vote. Grijalva herself told Border Report, “He has placed me in this limbo, and I feel very strongly about this, because of the Epstein files. I would be the 218th signer to the Epstein files and he has been given instruction to do everything he can to keep those under wraps.” Johnson denies these claims and insists the shutdown is the sole reason for the delay.
Senator John Curtis, a Republican from Utah, has broken ranks with his party to support Grijalva’s right to be sworn in. “The will of the people of Arizona have spoken, right? I think she needs to serve,” Curtis told the press, as reported by HuffPost. “Let’s get her to work.” His comments highlight growing bipartisan frustration with the impasse, as the shutdown continues to paralyze legislative action and representation for key districts.
In the meantime, Grijalva is left in a holding pattern, unable to fulfill the promises she made to voters. She’s tried repeatedly to meet with Johnson, but as she revealed to Border Report, “I have given up even trying to speak with him. At this point, I don’t think it’s advisable for me to have a conversation with him because we know that it’s going to be taken out of context, manipulated in some way.” She had once hoped a personal connection might help—“Early on, I thought if he just got to see my face, maybe make a connection that I have three kids, I have a husband, that I want them to be part of the swearing-in”—but now she says, “this back-and-forth is just not something that I can do.”
Looking ahead, the legal and political standoff shows no sign of easy resolution. Grijalva’s supporters in Congress and Arizona remain adamant that she should be seated immediately, while Johnson holds firm to his stated rationale. The episode has become a flashpoint for broader debates about partisanship, representation, and the functioning of American democracy during times of crisis. For the people of Arizona’s 7th District, the wait for a voice in Washington drags on, leaving them—like Grijalva herself—in a state of suspended expectation.
