When will House Speaker Mike Johnson swear in Arizona Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva?

PHOENIX – Over two weeks after Arizona voters elected her to replace her late father in Congress, Adelita Grijalva’s start date remains in limbo.

Last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated he would swear the Tucson Democrat into office this week. But the Louisiana Republican has been sending mixed messages since then.

This district deserves a voice in Congress NOW. pic.twitter.com/o2uZe4BMBr

— Adelita Grijalva (@AdelitaForAZ) October 8, 2025

Johnson designated this week as a district work period and cited that as a reason for not swearing Grijalva in yet. But he also told reporters on Tuesday, “We’ll schedule it as soon as she wants.”

Two Republicans were sworn into Congress a day after winning special elections earlier this year, and when the House was not in session.

“He said he would swear me in whenever I wanted and then a few hours later walked that back and said, ‘Just kidding,'” Grijalva said in a video posted to X on Wednesday.

Grijalva urged supporters to keep the pressure on Johnson until he relents.

“Speaker Johnson continues to make excuses, but all the while, southern Arizona still does not have a voice in Washington,” she said. “First it was certification, and then it was whether Congress is in session.”

Voters in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District overwhelmingly selected Grijalva to fill her father’s seat in a Sept. 23 special election. She received more than twice as many votes as her closest competitor, Republican Daniel Butierez.

The Arizona CD7 seat has been vacant since March 13, when Raúl Grijalva died at age 77 after a long battle with cancer.

Is Adelita Grijalva’s delay related to Epstein files?

Johnson’s delay has prompted speculation that he is worried Grijalva could trigger a vote on releasing the Justice Department files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case.

“The fact that southern Arizona is being treated differently raises serious questions about political motivations — especially since I have pledged to become the 218th signature on the discharge petition to force a vote on the Epstein files,” Grijalva said in a press release last week.

Johnson has denied the Epstein files have anything to do with it, but Grijalva and her supporters aren’t so sure.

“Maybe it’s about Jeffrey Epstein. I don’t know. But Mike Johnson needs to get on this and swear her in,” U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat who lives in the district Grijalva will represent, said in a video posted to X on Tuesday.

During a pro forma session on Wednesday, Rep. Greg Stanton led a group of Democratic members, including fellow Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari, in demanding that Grijalva be sworn in.

“Mr. Speaker, we seek recognition. We need to swear in Adelita Grijalva. We seek recognition, Mr. Speaker. Do not ignore us. We need to swear in our duly-elected member Adelita Grijalva,” Stanton yelled before Johnson gaveled out the session.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Related

Newly elected Adelita Grijalva says Mike Johnson delaying her swearing-in due to Epstein filesHouse Speaker Mike Johnson announces Adelita Grijalva will be sworn in next weekArizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva wins late father's congressional seat in special electionAndy Biggs explains why he picked Sine Kerr as his running mate in bid for governor’s seatAndy Biggs picks Sine Kerr as running mate in 1st Arizona election with lieutenant governorKatie Hobbs won’t debate Andy Biggs in governor’s race