Tucson Mayor Regina Romero is rumored to be readying to take over absent Congressman Raul Grijalva’s seat.
Grijalva’s district director, Ruben Reyes, is Romero’s husband. Reyes has spoken as a source of intimate authority on Grijalva’s health and capabilities amid the congressman’s decline these past few years. Last April, Reyes told reporters that the cancer treatment wouldn’t impact Grijalva’s ability to do his job, a claim sadly contradicted by the Congressman’s voting records prior to and since that time.
Grijalva announced his cancer diagnosis in February 2023. By that October, Grijalva had missed over 300 votes.
Last December, Grijalva stepped down from his leadership role as ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee. In recent months, Grijalva has missed nearly all (over 96 percent) of votes in this session: 51 out of the 53 roll call votes.
Although he hasn’t been seen representing his people in Congress, Grijalva (or, more likely, his staff) has been posting online consistently.
Grijalva’s cancer diagnosis wasn’t the first distraction from his elected duties. Grijalva twice faced accusations of fostering a hostile workplace with drunkenness and sexual harassment. In the first case, Grijalva settled a complaint with a five-month severance package ($48,000) using congressional funds in 2015, which the House Ethics Committee disclosed as permissible. In the latter case, Grijalva came under another ethics investigation in 2019, though a report never emerged publicly.
State Representative Alma Hernandez is one Democrat who had been calling on her party to take action and give the district functioning representation.
Hernandez called on House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to take action in Grijalva’s case ahead of a critical budget vote in the House.
“Max attendance?!? When will @TheDemocrats @RepJeffries finally call on @RepRaulGrijalva, who hasn’t shown up since the first day of the session?” said Hernandez. “We, the voters of CD7, have been without representation for well over a year…like seriously, over 700 votes were missed. How are Democrats supposed to be effective in such a slim minority? Get a grip, y’all. I’m saying what many are thinking but don’t want to say. ENOUGH. It’s time.”
Max attendance?!? When will @TheDemocrats @RepJeffries finally call on @RepRaulGrijalva, who hasn’t shown up since the first day of the session? We, the voters of CD7, have been without representation for well over a year…like seriously, over 700 votes were missed. How are… https://t.co/51byl5Z4hq
— (((Rep.Alma Hernandez))) (@almaforarizona) February 26, 2025
“Just sending staffers to events and having your staff run the show does not make up for not showing up to vote. We need representation, not silence,” said Hernandez.
It’s been almost two years, and the press is finally asking questions. We all deserve to know, especially the residents of CD7, where @standwithraul @RepRaulGrijalva has been. Just sending staffers to events and having your staff run the show does not make up for not showing up… https://t.co/Ok5Bo0aVvI
— (((Rep.Alma Hernandez))) (@almaforarizona) February 27, 2025
The news of Romero making the short list threatens the anticipated plan for Grijalva’s daughter, Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva, to take over for her ailing father.
Romero has established her legacy as the modern activist mayor. Months after taking office amid the race riots over George Floyd’s death, Romero flew a Black Lives Matter banner atop the town hall building, and publicly criticized and canceled those perceived to be presenting opposite views to BLM messaging as “white supremacists.”
Romero and Grijalva align in one critical respect: their good graces with the Democratic Party from consistent allegiance to the progressive Biden administration. Grijalva maintained a record of voting 100 percent of the time with former President Joe Biden, and Romero was the only mayor invited by the Biden White House for a federal delegation trip to Mexico.
Romero was considered previously as a shortlister for replacing Senator Mark Kelly when he was a potential pick for vice president.
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