🎭 Democracy in Name Only: The Pre-Planned Political Succession in Tucson's Democratic Establishment
⚖️ Behind the Curtain: Bullying Allegations and the Illusion of Democratic Process in Pima County - Inside the machine that decides who gets power before voters have their say
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
In 🌵 Tucson, a 🧩 political shuffle has people 😠 uneasy. Adelita Grijalva is set to 🏃♀️ run for Congress to take over her dad's 🎩 old position. She's leaving her role on the Pima County Board of Supervisors.
Enter Andrés Cano, expected to fill her 🪑 spot. However, eyebrows are raised 🤨 because he left his last job amid bullying allegations 😟. Although there's an open process for applicants 👥, many suspect Cano's selection is already sealed 🤐. These roles are crucial, as they wield significant ⚖️ power over community decisions.
🗝️ Takeaways
🗳️ Adelita Grijalva is running for her father's congressional seat while resigning from the Pima County Board of Supervisors
🤝 Former House Minority Leader Andrés Cano is allegedly predetermined to get Grijalva's Board of Supervisors seat
🚨 Cano resigned from the legislature amid serious allegations of bullying and harassment, according to a 97-point affidavit
👥 The Grijalva political network maintains power through a cycle of internal appointments and succession
🎭 While a public application process will take place, sources indicate the decision to appoint Cano has already been made
🔍 There has been limited media coverage of Cano's controversial tenure as House Minority Leader
🗣️ Community members can demand transparency and a fair process from the remaining Board of Supervisors
The Democratic Machine: Puppet Show Politics in Pima County and the Illusion of Democracy
¿Democracia? ¿O es todo un teatro político?
Here we go again, my friends. The political carousel in Tucson spins round and round, and if you watch long enough, you'll notice it's the same wooden horses going up and down to the same predictable tune.
The Pima County Democratic establishment is once again displaying its masterful illusion of democracy — a political sleight of hand that would make Harry Houdini applaud from the grave.
The Vacancies: A Tale of Two Seats
We currently have two significant political vacancies in our community.
First, the Congressional District 7 seat vacated by long-time Congressman Raúl Grijalva will be filled through an election (at least some semblance of democracy remains).
The second is Adelita Grijalva's vacant seat on the Pima County Board of Supervisors, which will be filled by appointment by her colleagues.
Let's unpack what's happening here, because the choreography of this political dance has been rehearsed for years.
The Congressional Succession
Adelita Grijalva, daughter of Raúl Grijalva, has announced her candidacy for her father's congressional seat, which requires her to resign from her current seat.
Following in her father's footsteps is nothing new for Adelita — she previously served on the Tucson Unified School District board, just like her father, and then won his former seat on the Pima County Board of Supervisors after Richard Elias (who had replaced her father there) passed away in 2020.
After Raúl Grijalva's passing, the path has been cleared for this next succession step. While technically an election will determine who fills this seat, Adelita has quickly gathered the necessary signatures to appear on the ballot before any other candidates could fully mobilize.
Is there anything inherently wrong with family members serving in public office? Of course not. However, when political power becomes concentrated within family dynasties and their close allies, we must question whether true representative democracy is being served.
The Supervisor Shuffle
Now, to the more blatant display of pre-determined politics. As Adelita Grijalva steps down from the Board of Supervisors to run for Congress, who should appear ready to fill her vacancy but Andrés Cano, former Arizona House Minority Leader.
Cano, who got his start working for Richard Elias (the very man who replaced Raúl Grijalva on the Board in 2002), has deep connections to the Grijalva political network. According to multiple sources, the remaining Democrats on the Board — Rex Scott, Jen Allen, and Matt Heinz — have already signaled their intent to appoint Cano to the vacant position before the application process has even ended.
Qué conveniente, ¿no?
The Troubling Background
Cano's recent history in the Arizona Legislature makes this predetermined appointment particularly concerning.
According to a detailed 97-point affidavit filed by Arizona State Representative Lydia Hernandez, Cano allegedly directed a months-long campaign of harassment, discrimination, and sabotage against her after she was unanimously elected as chair of the Legislative Latino Caucus in late 2022.
The allegations are serious and disturbing:
Directing caucus co-officers to disregard bylaws and procedures to "roll" Hernandez and limit her influence
Ignoring Hernandez's multiple verbal and written pleas for intervention as she endured verbal attacks and physical intimidation
Using his power as House Minority Leader to prevent the Latino Caucus from meeting or conducting business throughout 2023
Enabling harassment that allegedly caused Hernandez severe psychological and physical distress
According to the affidavit, Hernandez experienced concerning physical intimidation, including:
Being blocked from leaving her office during hostile confrontations
Having her personal space invaded with aggressive filming and confrontations
Being cornered in her office by colleagues "sitting around me"
Being physically prevented from participating in official photos
Most tellingly, Cano resigned from the legislature in early July 2023, just as a formal review of the misconduct complaints was beginning — effectively avoiding accountability for these serious allegations.
After his resignation, Cano went to Harvard to pursue a master's degree in public administration. Upon returning to Tucson, he reportedly bragged about being given a city position created specifically for him without any competitive process.
The Illusion of Process
The County Board of Supervisors will put on a show of considering applications for the vacant seat. They'll accept résumés, perhaps conduct interviews, and make public statements about seeking the best-qualified candidate to represent District 5.
But if sources are correct, this is merely political theater. The decision has already been made behind closed doors. The fix is in, as they say. Regardless of who applies or their qualifications, Andrés Cano has reportedly been promised the position.
The Cost to Democracy
When political appointments become predictable transfers of power between connected insiders, democracy suffers. The people of District 5 deserve representation that is selected through genuine consideration of qualified candidates, not predetermined appointments based on political alliances.
This matters because the Board of Supervisors makes crucial decisions affecting our daily lives — from public health policy to infrastructure spending to environmental protections. A member of the Board earns $96,600 annually and wields significant power in shaping our community's future.
As columnist Tim Steller wisely noted, "these selections shouldn't be inevitable" and "the jobs shouldn't be handed out like plums, even for strong candidates."
The Indigenous Chicano Perspective
From my vantage point as an Indigenous Chicano observer of Tucson politics, this situation represents a troubling continuation of power dynamics that have long marginalized authentic representation.
During this Trump era, where attacks on democracy have become normalized at the national level, we cannot afford to let democratic principles erode in our own backyard.
La gente merece mejor. The people deserve better.
While the Democratic establishment in Pima County positions itself as progressive, these types of insider appointments reflect the same power consolidation tactics that progressives rightfully criticize when employed by conservatives. True progressive values demand transparency, authentic community representation, and breaking cycles of concentrated power, not reinforcing them.
A Seed of Hope
Despite this discouraging situation, I maintain hope. The very fact that these predetermined moves are being discussed publicly creates an opportunity for accountability. Sunlight remains the best disinfectant for political corruption.
Here's what we can do:
Demand Transparency: Contact the Board of Supervisors and demand a truly open and fair process for filling the vacancy.
Support Independent Journalism: Local news outlets like the Arizona Daily Star and Tucson Sentinel (or will The Devil Not Tell Us?) should be encouraged to investigate and report on these political maneuvers, including examining Cano's record as House Minority Leader
Organize Community Voices: Attend Board meetings, speak during call to the public, and organize community members to advocate for genuine representation.
Support Alternative Candidates: Encourage qualified community members to apply for the vacancy, even if the odds seem stacked against them.
Remember at Election Time: If the Board proceeds with a predetermined appointment, remember this when these supervisors come up for reelection.
Change doesn't happen overnight, but it does happen when communities remain vigilant and engaged. As the saying goes, "La lucha sigue" — the struggle continues.
Stay Informed, Stay Engaged
Supporting independent voices like Three Sonorans is one way to help ensure these types of political maneuvers receive proper scrutiny. Your readership, sharing of articles, and financial support through subscriptions and donations help keep independent journalism alive in Tucson.
In times like these, we need more eyes watching the watchmen, more voices speaking truth to power, and more community engagement in the political process.
¿Qué piensas tú? What do you think? Is the political system in Pima County truly representative of the people? And what would true democratic reform of our local political structures look like?
Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and let's continue this important conversation.
— Three Sonorans
Have a scoop or a story you want us to follow up on? Send us a message!
This situation is exactly why we in this country need to start committing things to memory! You don’t even have to go back to far in history or hindsight to see what happens when a small group in power tries to stay in control! We are actually living it in real time with this administration! It has been 2 months and look at where this country is because of it. Democracy in name only! Let the name trump remind us of what happens when only friends and families want to turn the this country into a country club!