Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva died Thursday morning at the age of 77 due to complications from lung cancer treatment, his office announced, just a week after the passing of late Texas Rep. Sylvester Turner.
Grijalva missed every vote since Jan. 3 and was just three months into his 12th term when he died. The late rep is survived by his wife and three daughters.
“Rep. Grijalva fought a long and brave battle,” his office said in a statement.
“More than two decades ago, Rep. Grijalva embarked on a journey to be a voice for Southern Arizonans in Washington, D.C,” the statement said. “Driven by his community values and spirit, he worked tirelessly and accomplished so much — for Arizona and for the country.”
Grijalva publicly disclosed an unspecified cancer diagnosis last year but ran for reelection in the 2024 primary and general cycles nonetheless, optimistic about the treatment he was receiving. He trounced his Republican foe in the general election.
After winning reelection last November, he quickly stepped down as the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee.
His death impacts the balance of power in the lower chamber, where Republicans previously could only afford to lose one vote on partisan legislation during times of full attendance. Now, they can afford to lose two.
A member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Grijalva had been passionate about environmentalist causes and was ranked as one of the most liberal members of the House of Representatives by GovTrack.
“Rep. Grijalva pushed for new public parks, childcare centers, health care clinics, local businesses, and affordable housing have breathed new life into neighborhoods across Southern Arizona,” his office recounted in a statement. “Improvements to our roads, bridges, and streetcar system have improved our daily lives and attracted new businesses and industries to the area.”
“Rep. Grijalva’s kind and humble nature was known to many. He was approachable by all because he believed people should be treated as equals. He loved to give gifts, blare music in his office, and get to know people for who they are.”
Arizona will hold a special election to fill his seat.
Born to an immigrant father and a mother who didn’t speak English in 1948, Grijalva grew up in Canoa Ranch, and credited his upbringing with giving him a “political backbone.”
During the 1980s, Grijalva suffered from drinking issues and did time in an alcohol abuse program before returning to college, where he later received a degree in sociology in 1987.
Grijalva was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2002 and has spent over four decades in public service. Early on in his days as a congressman, Grijalva made a name for himself by opposing the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the Bush administration.
Prior to his time in Congress, Grijalva served on the Pima County Board of Supervisors, to which he was first elected in 1989.
The late rep, who sat on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, was also an ardent critic of President Trump, with his X account ripping into the president just two hours before the announcement of his passing.
“President Trump’s latest reckless decision to fire thousands of employees at the Department of Education jeopardizes critical student aid programs, weakens protections for students’ civil rights, and undermines essential support for students with disabilities,” a statement on his X account read.
“Trump and Musk are prioritizing tax cuts for the wealthy over the future of our students. It’s selfish, and it’s illegal.”
Over a decade ago, back in 2013, Grijalva was asked about how he wanted to be remembered.
“I hope people know that I never gave up,” he said, according to the Arizona Republic.
