Adelita Grijalva sworn in as the House's newest member, paving the way for an Epstein files vote [View all]

Source: AP

Updated 4:11 PM EST, November 12, 2025


WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrat Adelita Grijalva was sworn in as the newest member of Congress on Wednesday, more than seven weeks after she won a special election in Arizona to fill the House seat last held by her late father.

Grijalva was sworn in by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Wednesday shortly before the House returned to session to vote on a deal to fund the federal government. The lower chamber had been away since mid-September.

Grijalva’s seating brings the partisan margin in the House to a narrow 220-214 Republican majority. She vowed to continue her father’s legacy of advocating for progressive policies on issues like environmentalism, labor rights and tribal sovereignty. She had previously called the prospect of finally being sworn in “emotional” in an interview with The Associated Press.

The seating of Grijalva brings an end to a weekslong delay that she and other Democrats said was intended to prevent her signature on a petition to eventually trigger a vote to release files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/adelita-grijalva-arizona-house-epstein-files-johnson-da75c9f0e362291f3d0edb1da99e019d