Opinion: Arizona needs real fighters, not progressive cosplayers

At a time when our democracy is under constant attack, representation can’t just look good on paper. At LUCHA, we believe it has to mean something. It has to be earned through action, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to the community. That’s why LUCHA is proud to stand firmly behind Adelita Grijalva in her campaign for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District.

Adelita isn’t new to the work; she’s been in the trenches for decades, fighting for public education, immigrant families, environmental justice, and reproductive freedom. She doesn’t need to borrow progressive language or poll-test her positions, she lives them every day. More importantly, Adelita never had to cosplay as a progressive, because she is one through and through. 

Some candidates in this race have spent years carefully curating an image of progressivism, positioning themselves as allies when it’s politically convenient, while their actual record tells another story. The truth is, there’s a difference between performing solidarity and practicing it. And voters deserve to know which is which.

Seventh district voters are smart. We’ve seen a rise in candidates who show up in our neighborhoods during election season, carefully rehearsed in the language of empathy and equity. They mimic our movements, flatter our leadership, and attend just enough community events to be seen, all while quietly distancing themselves from the actual demands of justice. It’s a performance, and it’s exhausting.

What’s even more dangerous is when these political actors convince voters they’re part of the movement, only to legislate and govern in ways that betray our communities the moment they’re elected. We’ve seen it happen before: the promises, the photo ops, the immediate pivot to the right—then the silence when we need them to speak out most. Whether it’s voting to defund public education, staying quiet on anti-immigrant bills, or failing to stand up to corporate greed, too many so-called allies have proven they’re only down when it’s safe.

Adelita Grijalva is not one of them.

She’s the only candidate in this race who has always shown up, not just for the applause, but for the hard fights, for the community. With over 25 years at the Pima County Teen Court, she began guiding youth and families in Southern Arizona long before stepping into office.

Adelita spent 20 years on the TUSD board, in an unpaid position, defending Mexican-American Studies and expanding preschool in underserved schools. As the first Latina chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, she spearheaded affordable housing investments, climate initiatives, and countywide preschool programs. She’s walked picket lines with educators during Red for Ed and beyond, stood up for immigrant families, and fought for housing and healthcare as basic human rights.

Let’s also be clear: calling Adelita an “establishment candidate” or dismissing her as someone just riding her last name to victory is a cheap shot and a fundamental misunderstanding of who she is, and who her family is in this community. The Grijalvas don’t show up in our neighborhoods because it’s convenient or performative. They show up because they care, because they always have, because this is their neighborhood. Their contributions to Southern Arizona are not transactional; they are a reflection of decades of shared struggle and solidarity.

Adelita doesn’t pick battles based on political convenience. She fights them all, because they are connected, and because many Arizonans’ lives are on the line. Her opponents may try to manufacture proximity to the community. They may drop Spanish words into their press releases, stage neighborhood photo shoots, and adopt slogans that sound vaguely justice-oriented. But proximity is not solidarity. And no amount of branding can cover up a career of self-interest and political miscalculation.

The stakes in this election couldn’t be higher. We’re not just fighting against authoritarianism, climate disaster, and economic exploitation; we’re fighting against apathy and amnesia. We’re fighting to remind Arizona what real leadership looks like: rooted, tested, and unafraid.

Adelita Grijalva knows what it means to carry a legacy, not just her late father’s, but her own. She has earned her stripes, her grit, and her reputation not through entitlement but through relentless fighting and advocacy. 

When it comes down to it, this is about power, and who we trust to wield it in our name.

Arizona, don’t be fooled by polished ads and cute TikTok videos. Look at the record. Look at the receipts. Ask yourself who has truly been there: during elections and in the darkest, hardest moments. Ask yourself who will keep showing up when the cameras are gone.

For LUCHA, the answer is clear: Adelita Grijalva is the only candidate in this race who has consistently walked the walk. And we’re proud to walk with her now, all the way to Washington, DC.

We deserve a champion. And Adelita is ours.

Living United for Change in Arizona (LUCHA) is a Phoenix-based, membership‑led organization fighting for social, racial and economic justice.