Progressive influencer Deja Foxx suffered a resounding defeat in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, losing by more than 40 points in a blowout that stunned far-left activists.
The Associated Press called the race for 54-year-old Adelita Grijalva with just 65% of the vote counted. Grijalva, a Pima County Supervisor and daughter of the late Rep. Raúl Grijalva, ultimately secured 62% of the vote, according to Trending Politics. Foxx, a 25-year-old digital celebrity with nearly 400,000 TikTok followers, finished with just 21%.
The loss was a stark reality check for progressives hoping to replace a long-standing political dynasty with a social media star. Foxx had high-profile endorsements from David Hogg and the PAC “Leaders We Deserve,” and only became eligible to run for Congress in April. Her campaign leaned heavily on her personal story, highlighting a childhood in Section 8 housing, reliance on food stamps, and early activism for abortion access.
But Grijalva was the favorite from the start, backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego. Name recognition, funding, and party support helped her secure an easy victory. Foxx tried to frame the loss as a moral win, saying, “I couldn’t be prouder of what we built together,” reflecting on starting “alone in her bedroom” and creating a movement that “shattered expectations.”
Still, the numbers told a clear story. One social media user noted on X, quoting a Politico headline that had suggested Foxx might have a “real shot,” “She lost by 40.”
Foxx raised over $670,000, mostly from small-dollar donors, and attempted to transform field campaigning with social media strategies—but it wasn’t enough. Even though both candidates shared similar platforms—supporting Medicare for All, tribal sovereignty, environmental justice, and opposing Donald Trump—voters opted for the familiar Grijalva name.
In her victory speech, Grijalva acknowledged her father and the community that sustained his legacy. “This is a victory not for me, but for our community and the progressive movement my dad started in Southern Arizona more than 50 years ago,” she said. “We delivered a message rooted not just in fighting back against a dangerous and tyrannical administration—but in fighting for something: our democracy, the dignity of working people, and the values that define Southern Arizona.”
Meanwhile, in New York, progressive forces are eyeing potential primary challenges to Democratic House leadership. Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old Ugandan-born democratic socialist assemblyman from Queens, shook the political landscape with his decisive victory over former Governor Andrew Cuomo and nine other candidates in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary. His win positions him as a potential first Muslim mayor of NYC and reflects the Democratic Party’s growing far-left influence.
Following Mamdani’s June primary victory, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) emphasized the movement’s collective momentum: “This movement is bigger than one person, election, city, or organization. We encourage all people inspired by the Zohran campaign to join their local DSA or YDSA chapter and get involved so we can continue to fight alongside Zohran and DSA elected officials across the country to create the future we all deserve.”
Now, after Mamdani’s win, DSA leaders are reportedly considering primary challenges not only against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries but also other New York City Democrats, including Reps. Ritchie Torres, Jerry Nadler, Dan Goldman, and Yvette Clarke. Senior political advisors to Jeffries have promised a “forceful and unrelenting” response to any attempts to unseat the top Democrat in the House next year.