TUCSON, Ariz. — The week, the eight candidates, both Republicans and Democrats, are vying to represent Arizona's 7th Congressional District have the chance to address constituents through a televised event.
The CD7 seat's been vacant for months after longtime Representative Raúl Grijalva died in March after a long battle with cancer.
While Republicans took the podiums Monday night, Five Democrats hoping to secure their party's nomination are taking the floor at AZPM studios in Tucson Tuesday night.
The candidates are a mix of known names— like former state Representative Daniel Hernandez Jr. and Representative Raúl Grijalva's daughter Adelita Grijalva— and newer faces in the party— like 25-year-old Activist Deja Foxx, Businessman Patrick Harris Sr. and grassroots organizer Jose Malvido Jr.
WATCH FULL DEBATE:
All five candidates packed the debate stage, tackling topics ranging from immigration to protection of social services—like Medicaid— to the rising cost of living in the country.
Candidates agreed that politics looked different in the past than it does now, many mentioning the need for bold, new leadership in the district and condemning the actions of President Donald Trump.
All agreed the way immigration is handled by the current administration is wrong, but they disagreed on how. Grijalva and Hernandez emphasize creating more paths to citizenship for immigrants already in the United States, both highlighting their solidarity with immigrant communities.
Deja Foxx, also talking about the immigrants in her life, turned her attention to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, adding "we will know a time after.”
Harris, however turned his attention to the root causes of global migration.
“We need to to work with other countries to make sure that we can help lift them up," he said.
District Seven runs along the Southern border of the United States with three ports of entry in its jurisdiction. While all condemned the continued border wall construction, Grijalva advocated for more staff at the ports of entry.
Malvido alleged that more staff at the border could be dangerous for the indigenous communities living along the southern border.
“They cut down fences, they harass people. In order to build this wall, the cut down a sacred site," he claimed.
Democrats are the minority in Congress, so the winner of the general election will walk into a Republican-controlled legislative and executive branch.
For some, like Hernandez, that meant reaching across the aisle.
"We’re spending too much time in a circular firing squad instead of actually solving problems for the people when we have the power to do so,” he said in his closing statements.
While others, promised to fight harder, standing their ground against the administration, like progressives Grijalva and Foxx.
“I am an unapologetic, progressive voice that will stand up and fight back against this administration,” Grijalva said.
The 7th Congressional District primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, July 15. You can see if that's your congressional district here.
The winning candidates from each primary will go face-to-face in the Sept. 23 general election.
