Welcome to the Wednesday, July 9, Brew.
By: Briana Ryan
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- A look at the Democratic primary for one of this year’s five special elections for the U.S. House
- President Donald Trump’s rate of issuing new executive orders decreases again in June
- A roundup of state supreme court vacancy news from June
A look at the Democratic primary for one of this year’s five special elections for the U.S. House
Five candidates are running in the Democratic primary for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District on July 15. The primary is the first step towards the Sept. 23 special election to fill the vacancy created when the previous incumbent, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), died on March 13.
In the 2024 general election, Republicans won a 220-215 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. However, as of July 7, Republicans have a 220-212 majority due to multiple vacancies in the chamber.
Arizona’s 7th Congressional District is one of five districts where a special election has been called to fill vacancies in the 119th Congress. Two of those five special elections—for Florida’s 1st and 6th Congressional Districts—have already happened. Both of those special elections resulted in Republicans retaining control of those districts.
The other three special elections called for the 119th Congress have not happened yet. All three of those special elections—including the one for Arizona’s 7th Congressional District—are due to the deaths of the districts’ incumbents. Texas’ 18th Congressional District became vacant on March 5 due to the death of Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Texas), and Virginia’s 11th Congressional District became vacant on May 21 due to the death of Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.). The special elections for those seats are set for Nov. 4 and Sept. 9, respectively.
From 2013 to 2025, 82 special elections to the U.S. Congress—29 for seats vacated by Democrats and 53 for seats vacated by Republicans—happened during the 113th through 119th Congresses. Six of those special elections resulted in the partisan control of the seat changing from that of the previous incumbent.
Now let’s redirect our focus back to the Democratic primary in Arizona’s 7th Congressional District.
The Arizona Capitol Times‘ Reagan Priest wrote, “The outcome of the primary in the deep blue district will demonstrate to the party’s top brass what kind of candidate Democratic voters are looking for and the issues they want that candidate to focus on.”
In April 2025, the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office compiled a voter registration report showing that 40% of registered voters are Democrats, 21% are Republicans, and 39% are members of a minor party. In the 2024 general election, Raúl Grijalva defeated Daniel Butierez (R) 63% to 37%.
Deja Foxx (D), Adelita Grijalva (D), and Daniel Hernandez Jr. (D) lead in fundraising, endorsements, and media attention.
According to Axios Phoenix‘s Jeremy Duda, “The race initially appeared like a two-way contest between Grijalva and Hernandez, but Foxx has gained traction.” Duda wrote that Grijalva “touts herself as a progressive” and Hernandez has “a reputation as a moderate.” Duda also wrote that Foxx “describes herself as the race’s change candidate.”
Foxx is the founder of the organization GenZ Girl Gang. According to the organization’s official website, it “works to foster collaboration between womxn of all ages through mentorship, intergenerational events, and informative posts.”
Grijalva, who is Raúl Grijalva’s daughter, represented District 5 on the Pima County Board of Supervisors from 2021 to 2025. She also served as an at-large member of the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board from 2003 to 2023.
Hernandez represented District 2 in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2017 to 2023. He also served as an at-large member of the Sunnyside Unified School District Governing Board from 2011 to 2019.
Patrick Harris Sr. and Jose Malvido Jr. are also running in the Democratic primary.
The winner of the Democratic primary will face off against the winner of the Republican primary—which is also happening on July 15—in the Sept. 23 special election.
Click here to read more about the Democratic primary and here for more information on special elections for the 119th Congress.
President Donald Trump’s rate of issuing new executive orders decreases again in June
President Donald Trump (R) issued nine executive orders in June, bringing his total to 166.
In June, Trump also signed fewer executive orders than in any other month in his second presidential term. He issued 46 executive orders in January 2025, more than any other month of his second presidential term.
Looking at the number of executive orders that presidents have issued in their first year in office, Trump’s 166 executive orders are the highest since Franklin D. Roosevelt (D) issued 568 executive orders in 1933.
Through the end of June, Trump issued the 10th-most executive orders among all U.S. presidents, with 386 executive orders across his two terms in office.
Roosevelt issued the most executive orders of all U.S. presidents, with 3,721 executive orders during his time in office. William Henry Harrison (Whig) issued no executive orders during his one month in office. Three presidents issued only one executive order each: James Madison (Democratic-Republican), James Monroe (Democratic-Republican), and John Adams (Federalist).
Click here to view the titles and text of each executive order Trump issued in June.
A roundup of state supreme court vacancy news from June
In this month’s state supreme court vacancy update, we’re looking at who retired, was nominated, appointed, confirmed, and sworn in June.
Retirements
On June 27, Justice Beth Walker resigned from the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.
Voters elected Walker to the court in 2016. Walker defeated four other candidates in that race, including then-incumbent Brent Benjamin. The year before the election, the West Virginia Legislature passed a law making all the state’s judicial elections starting in 2016 nonpartisan. She took office in January 2017 and served as chief justice in 2019 and 2023.
As of July 7, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R) has not announced Walker’s replacement. This vacancy will be Morrisey’s first opportunity to appoint a justice to the court.
Candidates nominated, appointed, and confirmed
On June 10, the Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission released a list of three finalists to be sent to Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly (D). The list includes District Court Judge Amy Hanley, District Court Judge K. Christopher Jayaram, and attorney Larkin Walsh. Kelly has until Aug. 9 to make the final appointment.
Justices sworn in
No justices were sworn in during June.
Each state within the United States, including the District of Columbia, has at least one state supreme court. Oklahoma and Texas both have two supreme courts, one for civil appeals and one for criminal appeals. The supreme courts do not hear trials of cases. Instead, they hear appeals of the decisions made in the lower trial or appellate courts. The number of justices on each court varies between five and nine from state to state.
Click here for more about state supreme court vacancies and our previous updates.