Grijalva kicks off Congressional campaign in Tucson

Congressman Raul Grijalva celebrated his birthday and kicked off his Congressional campaign on Sunday, Feb. 19 at El Casino Ballroom in Tucson.

Hundreds of enthusiastic supporters cheered "Raul!" as Grijalva's daughter and local school board member Adelita Grijalva listed his Congressional achievements related to the People's Budget, immigration, job creation, public education, healthcare and the environment. The loudest cheer came when she shouted, "And he stopped uranium mining in the Grand Canyon!"

A diverse group of Grijalva supporters—including many local Democratic Party officials, politicians, and candidates—packed the historic ballroom. They danced to a mix of cumbia and rock oldies, ate Mexican food, signed candidates’ petitions, wrote checks, grabbed yard signs and t-shirts, volunteered to help his campaign, and cheered as he talked about progressive values and his two primary opponents.

Grijalva, co-chair of the Progressive Caucus, is one of the most liberal members of Congress, and the standing-room-only crowd obviously agreed with his positions.

Grijalva has served the majority minority border district since 2002. Due to redistricting, the new congressional district (CD3) has changed shape but is still weighted in favor of minority voters and Democrats. To date, two Democrats and three Republicans have announced that they will run for Grijalva’s seat in 2012. (Image Credit: Janet Marcotte.)