Adelita Grijalva’s journey to the halls of Congress should have been a straightforward one. After all, she won her Arizona special election decisively on September 23, 2025, filling the seat left vacant by her late father, the influential Rep. Raul Grijalva, who spent more than two decades shaping U.S. environmental policy and leading the House Natural Resources Committee. Yet, as of early October, her swearing-in has been conspicuously delayed, sparking a political controversy that has drawn national attention and raised questions about fairness, precedent, and the inner workings of the House of Representatives.
Grijalva, no stranger to public service, previously served on a school board and the Pima County Board of Supervisors—where she became only the second woman to chair the board. Her district, a predominantly Hispanic area with nearly twice as many registered Democrats as Republicans, handed her a decisive victory. But as she arrived in Washington, D.C., anticipation quickly turned to frustration. As she put it in an interview with the Associated Press, “I think it’s great to be able to be in a room with those who will be my colleagues, but then you very quickly realize that you are not part of the club yet.”
So, what’s behind the holdup? According to House Speaker Mike Johnson, the delay is a matter of timing and procedure. Since September 19, the House has been mostly in recess, following the passage of a continuing resolution to fund the government through November 21. Johnson sent lawmakers home, hoping to pressure the Senate into passing the funding bill. Legislative activity has ground to a halt, with only brief pro forma sessions—short, symbolic meetings without votes—taking place. Johnson insists, “We will swear her in when everybody gets back.”
Yet, the Speaker’s explanation hasn’t satisfied everyone—least of all Grijalva’s Democratic colleagues. They point to a recent precedent: In April 2025, Johnson swore in two Florida Republicans, Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine, during a pro forma session less than 24 hours after their elections. Johnson, speaking on C-SPAN, described that situation as unique, saying, “As a courtesy to them and their families, we went ahead and administered the oath to an empty chamber. We’re going to administer the oath as soon as she gets back.”
For Grijalva, the inconsistency is hard to ignore. “If I had big money to bet, I would bet that if I were a Republican representative waiting in the wings, I would have already been sworn in by now,” she told the Associated Press. She worries about the precedent being set, adding, “The bedrock of our democracy is free, fair, unobstructed elections. And if Speaker Johnson believes this is, as I do, then he will quit toying with our democratic process and swear me in.”
Democrats have kept up the pressure, even as they acknowledge their limited leverage while the House is in recess. On October 8, Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego confronted Johnson outside his office, with Gallego telling him, “You just keep coming up with excuses.” Johnson dismissed the encounter as a “publicity stunt,” but the message was clear: patience is running thin. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed the sentiment, stating, “Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva should be sworn in now. It should have happened this week, should have happened last week. It needs to happen next week.”
The delay isn’t just a matter of symbolism or party politics. There’s also a practical side to the timing. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky has been gathering signatures for a petition to force a vote on releasing federal files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender. Massie is reportedly one signature short of the 218 needed. Grijalva has pledged to sign the petition once she’s sworn in, potentially providing the decisive vote. This has fueled speculation among Democrats that Johnson is stalling her swearing-in to postpone any Epstein-related vote. Johnson has flatly rejected the accusation, telling C-SPAN viewers, “This has zero to do with Epstein.”
For her part, Grijalva has tried to avoid jumping to conclusions, but she can’t help noticing the growing speculation. “I thought, no way, he’s gonna swear me in. It’ll be fine,” she said. “Here we are two weeks later.” She remains eager to serve her constituents and honor her father’s legacy, but she’s also acutely aware that every day she remains a visitor—not a voting member—her district goes without representation in crucial debates and decisions.
The situation has highlighted the quirks and complexities of congressional procedure. Traditionally, lawmakers elected in special elections are sworn in during active legislative sessions, greeted by applause and a short floor speech, with family and friends looking on from the galleries. But as Johnson’s actions in April demonstrated, there is flexibility in the rules. The decision to delay Grijalva’s swearing-in, despite recent precedent to the contrary, has become a flashpoint for broader debates about fairness, transparency, and the balance of power in the House.
Some Democrats suspect that the delay is part of a broader strategy to pressure Senate Democrats to approve a House-passed funding bill and end the government shutdown. The standoff has left government workers and programs in limbo, and it’s also affecting the Affordable Care Act’s premium subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year. As Senator Gallego argued, “There’s a way for all of us to actually get things done, protect the government workers, extend these affordable health care tax credits—but not when Johnson’s keeping his people out of session, and certainly not while he’s keeping a duly elected member of Congress from Arizona that should have been sworn in by all standards by now.”
Meanwhile, Grijalva’s constituents wait for their new representative to take her seat. The delay has become more than just a procedural hiccup; it’s a symbol of the deepening partisan divides and the procedural gamesmanship that can leave voters on the sidelines. The House’s return date remains uncertain, but the calls for Grijalva’s prompt swearing-in are only growing louder.
As the days tick by, the question remains: Will Speaker Johnson stick to his stated plan and swear in Grijalva at the next full session, or will the political storm around her delayed oath force a change of course? For now, Grijalva remains on the threshold of Congress—ready to step in, but still waiting for the door to open.
