Democrat holds AZ congressional seat, Republican keeps GA state Senate seat in special elections

A Democrat held onto a congressional seat in Arizona, while a Republican kept a Georgia state Senate seat in Tuesday's special elections.

Former Pima County supervisor Adelita Grijalva (D) beat small businessowner Daniel Butierez (R) in Tuesday's special election to replace Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona's 7th Congressional District, the Democratic candidate's father, who died in March due to complications related to his cancer treatment, The Hill news outlet reported.

With Grijalva’s win, there will be enough Democrats and Republicans to force a vote on the House floor over the Justice Department’s release of files regarding late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., already have every Democrat signed onto their discharge petition regarding the Epstein files, in addition to GOP Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, but they need one more signature.

Meanwhile, in Georgia, Republican Jason Dickerson, a businessman and political newcomer, beat Democrat Debra Shigley, an attorney and businesswoman, in a special election on Tuesday for state Senate District 21 to replace Brandon Beach, whom President Donald Trump tapped to serve as U.S. Treasurer.

Dickerson received nearly 62% of the vote on Tuesday, down from the 70% with which Beach won his seat last November.

“By overperforming this Trump +34 district, another important trend is clearly emerging — Republicans are running scared across the country while Democrats are standing their ground and winning in red, blue, and purple districts,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin said in a statement.