Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said he will not run for the open congressional seat in Arizona’s 7th district, fueling speculation that Adelita Grijalva, daughter of the late House Democrat Raul Grijalva, will run.

Grijalva died earlier this month, which prompted a special election to fill his vacant House seat. After telling news outlets he was considering a bid for the congressional seat, Fontes announced Wednesday that he will not run, noting his decision was in part based on President Donald Trump’s alleged desire to "cancel elections."

"With this week's Executive Order from the Trump Administration, I firmly believe the President is laying the groundwork to cancel elections in 2026," Fontes said.

Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday requiring people to provide proof of citizenship in order to vote in federal elections.

"After careful thought and reflection, I have decided that for family, for country, and for democracy, I will continue to defend America as Arizona's Secretary of State,” Fontes added.

Twenty-two people have so far filed statements of interest to run in the race. Former Democratic state Rep. Daniel Hernandez has also announced his candidacy. 

Fontes’s decision not to run in the race could make room for the late congressman's daughter, Adelita Grijalva, who has sat on the Pima County Board of Supervisors since 2020, to take his place. She served on the Tucson Unified School District governing board for 20 years, until 2022.

Grijalva spoke at the Tucson “Fighting Oligarchy Tour" rally last week with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), where she hinted at a run.

“Are we going to stand by silently while the billionaire boys club who bought this last election rolls over our rights? No way. This broligarchy has got to go,” Grijalva said. “I realized there is no better way to honor my dad than to add my voice to this event. I want to join his friends who also fight for those who have no voice, can always be counted on to speak truth to power, and show us what is possible when we stand up for justice, equity, and dignity for all.”

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The district, which sits along the state’s border with Mexico and includes some Western suburbs of Tucson, the city of Yuma, and many rural border communities, is heavily Democratic, with Raul Grijalva having easily won his recent elections. 

Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) called a primary to be held on July 15 with the special election to fill the seat to be held on Sept. 23. The seat will remain vacant until a replacement is selected in the special election.