U.S. Representative Greg Stanton of Arizona has called on House Speaker Mike Johnson to administer the oath of office to Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva during the upcoming Pro Forma session of Congress on September 30. Stanton, who serves as Dean of Arizona’s Democratic Delegation, made the request following Grijalva’s recent win in a special election in Arizona.
Stanton highlighted that official correspondence confirming Grijalva’s victory has already been submitted by the State of Arizona to the House. He referenced previous instances where Speaker Johnson administered oaths to other newly elected representatives during Pro Forma sessions, including Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine from Florida, and James Walkinshaw from Virginia, all within a day of their respective elections.
“Until she is sworn in, more than 800,000 residents of southern Arizona will remain without a voice in Congress, unnecessarily depriving them representation they are guaranteed by the U.S Constitution. Precedent and practice should also compel the House to act as swiftly as possible,” Stanton wrote.
Stanton’s letter was sent nearly a week after Grijalva’s election victory. The issue underscores concerns about timely representation for constituents when seats are vacant.
In recent years, Stanton himself secured his seat by defeating Kelly Cooper in both the 2022 and 2024 general elections. In 2024, Stanton won with 52.7% of the vote compared to Cooper’s 45.5%, while in 2022 he received 56% against Cooper’s 43.1%.
The full text of Stanton’s letter can be found at https://stanton.house.gov/2025/9/stanton-urges-speaker-johnson-to-immediately-swear-in-representative-elect-adelita-grijalva.
