大象APP

It probably means you鈥檙e in the lead.

Other than that, especially now in the Democratic Party, being part of 鈥渢he establishment鈥� is a downer. That鈥檚 one of the lessons people are taking from the recent nomination of Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist outsider, as Democratic candidate for New York City mayor, along with other party battles.

It鈥檚 also why you see opponents of Adelita Grijalva calling her the 鈥渆stablishment鈥� candidate in the race for the Democratic Party nomination in Congressional District 7. and looking for somebody to take on the party鈥檚 establishment, who many think have not been fighting hard enough against President Trump.

The 25-year-old newcomer Deja Foxx, in particular, has pointed to Grijalva as part of 鈥渢he establishment鈥� in making the case for herself as an outsider. that other 鈥渆stablishment鈥� Democrats such as U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego are trying 鈥渢o box me out.鈥�

The other well-known Democratic candidate out of the five running for the nomination also labeled Grijalva the 鈥渆stablishment鈥� candidate.

鈥淎delita has been in office since I was 13 years old. Her father was in office longer than I鈥檝e been alive,鈥� Daniel Hernandez Jr. told me in a text message. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 see more of an establishment candidate than someone who has been office for over 20 years and whose father was in office for nearly 50 years.鈥�

Still, the 鈥渆stablishment鈥� accusation seems a bit baffling to Grijalva. She grew up the daughter of a rabble-rouser who forged his own political machine as a leftier, Latino-led alternative to the centrist, Anglo-led Democratic establishment.

鈥淚 have to admit, I know my dad would have a good laugh if he heard people calling him 鈥渢he establishment,鈥� she wrote in an 大象APP guest column Monday. 鈥淭he words 鈥楪rijalva鈥� and 鈥榚stablishment鈥� have never been used in the same sentence, unless you insert 鈥榝ighting the鈥� in between.鈥�

In a written statement Tuesday, Grijalva added, 鈥淲hen the Democratic Party wasn鈥檛 investing in candidates who looked like me or came from communities like mine, we forged our own path. Built alongside teachers, union organizers, environmentalists, and lifelong activists, the 鈥楪rijalva machine鈥� is powered by people who have always fought for justice, not power. If that makes us the 鈥榚stablishment鈥� in Tucson, then maybe it鈥檚 time to rethink what that word really means.鈥�

To me, what it means is they won enough elections to gain significant political power. Outsiders, both Democrats and Republicans, view the 鈥淕rijalva machine鈥� as an unstoppable force in local elections.

A Grijalva ally, Regina Romero, has been 大象APPmayor for almost six years, having won two elections to the post. And at least two other members of the City Council are also close Grijalva allies, with more possibly in the wings depending on this year鈥檚 election results.

Same thing at the Pima County Board of Supervisors and 大象APPUnified School District board: At least two members on each board are members of the Grijalva group, while others frequently are aligned with their points of view.

Once upon a time, locally, the Grijalva network was anti-establishment. Then it won enough elections to become the local Democratic establishment. Now its progressive views are dominant in many local boards.

That doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean Raul Grijalva became 鈥渆stablishment鈥� in Congress. I asked former Rep. Ron Barber, who served alongside Grijalva from 2012 to 2015, about whether he viewed Grijalva that way.

鈥淚f a member of Congress is outside of the mainstream of the party and what it espouses, then they could be called anti-establishment. Certainly, Raul Grijalva challenged the establishment all of the time,鈥� Barber said.

But locally, it can be hard to be a Democrat, especially on the south and west sides, who doesn鈥檛 ally himself with the Grijalva group. Hernandez recalled that when he decided to run for office, 鈥淚 never asked for permission, so he (Raul Grijalva) ran people against me basically every time I ran for office.鈥�

Of course, this election is about Adelita Grijalva, the candidate, not her late father, even if he casts a long shadow over the race.

The trick for her is to translate the 鈥渆stablishment鈥� label into something more appealing. 鈥淓stablishment鈥� can just as well mean accomplished, skilled, wise, able.

Grijalva has also been talking about herself as a 鈥渇ighter鈥� against Trump, something the party鈥檚 primary voters clearly want. Maybe it鈥檚 possible to be both 鈥� establishment and a fighter. If Grijalva can show that鈥檚 not a contradiction, she may have the race locked up.