Deja Foxx, a 24-year-old activist and digital influencer, has officially announced her campaign to fill the U.S. House seat left empty by Representative Raúl Grijalva. Grijalva, who served as Arizona’s 7th Congressional District for over 20 years, passed away last month at the age of 77, sparking a competitive race for the open seat.
Foxx, a Tucson native and local, is not a stranger to the spotlight. She first made headlines as just a teenager when she called out Senator Jeff Flake at a town hall meeting for overfunding Planned Parenthood, a topic that had been long ignored and is in desperate need of attention. When she was homeless and relied on unstable sources of income to survive in the struggling economy, the moment sparked her trailblazing path into activism and modern politics.
“This moment calls for more than a politician,” Foxx said in her campaign announcement. “You deserve a fighter.” Foxx later founded what is known to be “GenZ Girl Gang”, an online platform page supporting young women struggling just like she was. She also worked as an influencer for Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2020 presidential campaign, helping to connect with the campaign and Gen Z voters through social media.
Now, she’s bringing that experience and information into the political world. Foxx says her campaign will focus on affordable housing, reproductive rights, and climate action focusing on emissions. “My generation is the one facing the consequences of bad decisions made by older leaders,” Foxx said. “We’re ready to lead.” Her strong pursuit of change has inspired many to combat misinformation and take charge of current problems within our society.
Foxx graduated from Columbia University on a full scholarship, where she studied policy and made the Dean’s List. She believes her personal story from homelessness to national politics shows the power of lived experience in leadership.
With a strong social media presence on TikTok and Instagram, Foxx is using her mass digital following to reach young voters and the uninformed across the U.S.. Her campaign is also expected to rely heavily on grassroots organizing, something that has outraged the older political community.
The race is quickly drawing other notable candidates, including Grijalva’s daughter, a local progressive political leader. Furthermore, Foxx believes her message and story will help set her apart to win this campaign race. “I’ve lived the challenges our community faces,” she said. “I’m ready to fight for us in Congress.”
The special election date has not yet been set, but Foxx’s passion is already making waves as a sign of generational change and new commings in not only Arizona politics but politics as we know it.
