In Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, progressive influencer Deja Foxx suffered a heavy defeat, losing by more than 40 points to Adelita Grijalva, a well-known local politician. Grijalva, a Pima County Supervisor and daughter of the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva, won with around 62% of the vote, while Foxx, a 25-year-old TikTok star with nearly 400,000 followers, received only 21%. Despite support from activists like David Hogg and the PAC “Leaders We Deserve,” Foxx’s campaign, which emphasized her personal struggles growing up in Section 8 housing and relying on food stamps, was not enough to overcome Grijalva’s strong name recognition and political backing.
Grijalva had endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego. Foxx framed her loss as a moral victory, saying she built a movement from her bedroom that exceeded expectations. However, the election results told a different story.
Both candidates shared similar progressive platforms, including support for Medicare for All, tribal sovereignty, environmental justice, and opposition to Donald Trump. Still, voters favored the familiar name and long-standing community ties of Grijalva, who emphasized continuing her father’s legacy in her victory speech.
Meanwhile, in New York, progressive activists are planning primary challenges against established Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist assemblyman from Queens, recently won the Democratic mayoral primary in New York City, signaling a leftward shift in the party. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) praised Mamdani’s victory and encouraged supporters to get involved locally.
Following Mamdani’s win, DSA leaders are considering primary challenges against Jeffries and other prominent New York House Democrats like Reps. Ritchie Torres, Jerry Nadler, Dan Goldman, and Yvette Clarke. However, Jeffries’ team has promised a strong and relentless response to any such challenges.
