by Matthew Holloway | Mar 20, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is facing a recall effort that could trigger a countywide election if supporters gather enough signatures in the coming months.
The recall effort was launched on March 12 and has been confirmed by the Pima County Elections Department. Organizers will have 120 days to collect more than 120,000 valid signatures to qualify the recall for the ballot.
If the required number of signatures is verified, a recall election would be held in which any qualified candidate could run, with the top vote-getter winning the office.
Nanos acknowledged the effort, stating, “We’re aware of the recall, and it’s the right of the people. We’ll always honor the will of the people, and that’s what makes democracy.”
The recall effort is being led by Daniel Butierez, a Republican candidate who ran for Congress against Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ07) in 2025.
In a post to X on March 12, Butierez called on Nanos to resign, writing, “He has lost the trust of the people. If he does not by the end of Friday, I will begin to organize the effort to recall Nanos.”
He subsequently launched the recall effort with a follow-up post on March 17.
The effort comes amid a series of controversies surrounding the sheriff. Nanos recently addressed discrepancies in his work history following reports of what his office called “clerical errors,” which were “administrative in nature.” A county inmate has also filed a $1.3 million lawsuit against him and his department.
Nanos has also faced national scrutiny over his department’s handling of the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of television host Savannah Guthrie. In addition, the sheriff has been at odds with the Pima County Board of Supervisors over budget issues, according to KOLD.
Arizona law allows voters to recall local elected officials, but such efforts are relatively uncommon and infrequently successful. Notable exceptions, include the 2011 recall of former state Senate President Russell Pearce and the 2025 recall of Mesa Councilwoman Julie Spilsbury.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Matthew Holloway | Jul 20, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Former Pima County Supervisor and daughter of late Arizona Democratic Congressman Raúl Grijalva, Adelita Grijalva, defeated her fellow Democrats to win the 7th Congressional District nomination. Grijalva was armed with the endorsements of Democrat Socialists of America (DSA) darling Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), self-avowed socialist Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and a major ad-spend and endorsement from the Working Families Party (WFP). Both Democrat leaders and the WFP also endorsed socialist New York City Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani.
As previously reported by AZ Free News, Grijalva opted to run for her late father’s congressional seat with Tucson Mayor Regina Romero declining to run in order to chair the Grijalva campaign.
“At a time when Trump, Musk, and their billionaire gang are attacking our democracy and ripping off the working class, we need leaders who have the backbone to take them on,” Sanders said in a statement in April. “That’s why I’m proud to endorse Adelita Grijalva for Congress. Adelita understands that real change never comes from the top down, it comes from the bottom up.”
Described as Sanders’ “Progressive Protégé,” by the Maricopa County Republican Committee, Grijalva also proudly boasted of her endorsement by Democratic Socialists of America member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Grijalva also enjoys the endorsement of the openly socialist WFP with Maurice Mitchell, National Director of the Working Families Party, saying Tuesday, “Adelita’s victory tonight isn’t just a win for families in Southern Arizona. It’s a win for all those who believe in a government that works for everyday people. Voters are tired of politicians who hide in the pockets of their billionaire donors. We know that Adelita is going to be a fearless fighter for working families in her district.”
According to the WFP website, the party spent significantly on ads in the CD7 race, writing “The Party was a significant force in the race, spending $221,000 on several ads for TV, digital, and sending thousands of texts to voters. Along with our union and grassroots partners, we knocked on more than 90,000 doors and sent two direct mail pieces to likely voters in the district.”
The party also credited itself with the victories of Zohran Mamdani as well as Mayoral races in Buffalo, Syracuse, and Albany. WFP has historically supported members of ‘The Squad,’ the most radical leftists in Congress, including Reps. Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Jamaal Bowman. Grijalva will face Republican candidate Daniel Butierez in a Special Election on September 23rd.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
