Arizona’s longest-serving Congressman has died. Rep. Raúl Grijalva passed away from complications from cancer treatment on Thursday. He was 77.
A longtime fixture in Tucson politics, Grijalva served in the House of Representatives since 2002, championing environmental protection, immigrants’ rights and public education throughout his long career. Until last year, he served as the ranking member of the House’s Natural Resources Committee, fighting to stop mining across the state, including near the Grand Canyon and to preserve the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert.
The son of an immigrant who came to America as part of the Bracero program, Grijalva was outspoken on immigration. In 2010, he led the fight against the notorious “show me your papers” law SB 1070 — to the point that he called for a boycott of Arizona after it was passed and suffered the political consequences. But, he never changed his fundamental views.
Grijalva was outspoken about most of his political beliefs — known for his blunt style and staunch progressive beliefs.
Last year, he announced he was undergoing treatment for cancer and he missed most votes this year as well.
Former longtime Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake served alongside him for years representing Arizona. Before he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012, he served for a decade alongside Grijalva in the House. Flake joined The Show to talk about Grijalva's legacy.
Full conversation
LAUREN GILGER: Good morning, Ambassador Flake.
JEFF FLAKE: Hey, thanks for having me on.
GILGER: Thank you for coming on, so you and Grijalva were on opposite sides of the aisle, obviously, and he was known as something of a firebrand. Tell us a little bit about your relationship.
FLAKE: He was a very progressive member of Congress, and he wasn't shy about his beliefs, but he was a kind man, and I always got along with him well, and I remember our interactions fondly, particularly on the Resources Committee. We served together there, and he ultimately took the chairmanship of that important committee, especially important to Arizona, and from that perch, he had a lot to do with environmental policy and some of the issues that he felt strongly about.
GILGER: Tell me a little bit about any chances you had to work together on those issues. Were there moments when a Republican and a Democrat like Grijalva came together and did something important for the state, for the Southwest?
FLAKE: Well, you mentioned in the intro, his concern about immigration. I shared that concern that we needed comprehensive immigration reform, and from the time I started in the House, I was trying to work across the aisle. That took many forms, but he was always willing to work across the aisle in that regard, particularly when President Bush from the White House was eager to do immigration reform.
Raúl Grijalva was willing to work across the aisle there, and we had many discussions during that time. Obviously, on environmental issues and land use issues, you work closely across the aisle for Arizona's sake.
GILGER: Yeah. So tell me a little bit about working with him and working with him as someone from the opposing party, especially. Like you said, he was a kind man, you worked together well, he was willing to do, you know, bipartisanship in a way that maybe doesn't exist in the same way today. What was he like personally?
FLAKE: Well, personally, let me just give you one anecdote. He wasn't much for a lot of the Washington social scene or events, and, including the White House Christmas ball, you know, and there were eight years of President Bush, six years when, when he was there, and, you know, I always had family members who wanted to attend, but it was only the member plus one. And so Raúl Grijalva was kind enough to let me use his plus one many times.
And so many of my children have gone to the White House Christmas ball as guests of Raúl Grijalva, or as the plus one when he simply didn't attend, and he would even call a few months before just to say, ‘Hey, do you have any kids that need to go?’ And he was always kind that way and I got along well with him.
GILGER: That's interesting. I want to ask about something I've been reading a lot about in remembrances of Congressman Grijalva over the last day or so here. Lots of folks saying he never changed his beliefs with the political winds. Like he just wasn't a creature of Washington in that way. Did you experience that with him?
FLAKE: You bet. He was unapologetically progressive, and he didn't change his views, but it didn't mean that he was obstinate or angry. We got along well and like I said, we have so many issues in Arizona that you need to work across the aisle on.
We had many delegation meetings, back just before he got there, Bob Stump was the dean of the delegation, and then Senator McCain, and I remember a lot of those delegation meetings, quite fondly and, and his participation in them, because he was committed to Arizona. He had, like you said, many different views than I had, but we worked together when we could, and that, that kind of typified how Congress has been in the past, and I hope we get back to that model.
GILGER: Yeah, it doesn't seem that way right now. I want to ask you about something else. When you announced your retirement in 2017, Grijalva said at the time that he wasn't going to do the same anytime soon, that it was, I think the quote was, it was time to right this ship. He told Arizona Public Media at the time. He wanted to stay and fight, basically. What did you think about that?
FLAKE: Well, that just typified his approach. He served what, 50 years in public service from, I think, a school board to start with, the county board of supervisors, and then on to Congress, and that was his life. So, he wasn't about to take a different role. He had a position of power and influence, particularly when he chaired the Resources Committee, and he wasn't about to give it up.
GILGER: Last question for you then, and just a forward looking one as we're remembering the congressman today. What do you predict his legacy will look like?
FLAKE: Well, like I said, 50 years. He's going to be remembered for his commitment to Arizona, for his commitment to environmental causes, to immigration, and the kindness he showed toward migrants. He knew their story well because he lived it, and I think that's what he'll be remembered for.
