CONGRESSMAN Raúl Grijalva has died at 77 following a “long and brave” battle with cancer.

Grijalva, a member of the Democratic Party, announced he had cancer almost a year ago, but bravely pushed on with his work while undergoing treatment.

A statement from the congressman’s office said: “The Office of the 7th District of Arizona is saddened to announce the passing of Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva. Rep.

“Grijalva fought a long and brave battle.

“He passed away this morning due to complications of his cancer treatments.”

The 12-term member of the House of Representatives is the second House Democrat to die in office this month following the death of Sylvester Turner of Texas on March 5.

Grijalva was chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee from 2019 to 2023 and served Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus for a decade from 2009 to 2019.

The statement from his office added: “More than two decades ago, Rep. Grijalva embarked on a journey to be a voice for Southern Arizonans in Washington, D.C.

“Driven by his community values and spirit, he worked tirelessly and accomplished so much – for Arizona and for the country.

“From Tucson to Nogales and beyond, he worked tirelessly for transformational improvements.”

Tributes were also paid to the congressman’s efforts to push for new public parks, childcare centers, health care clinics, local businesses, and affordable housing.

The office‘s statement continued: “Improvements to our roads, bridges, and streetcar system have improved our daily lives and attracted new businesses and industries to the area.

“Rep. Grijalva’s passion was not only for his community, but for preservation of the planet.

“When coming to Congress, he was determined to serve on the Natural Resources Committee.

“He was steadfast in his commitment to produce lasting change through environmental policies — as he would say, ‘it’s for the babies'”.

He won his final term in the solidly Democratic district by a margin of more than 25 percentage points over his Republican Party opponent.

A special election will now have to be held to fill the vacancy.

‘A FIGHTER FOR WORKING CLASS FAMILIES’

Fellow representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has paid tribute to her “incredible friend”.

She said: “A genuinely devastating loss.

“Raúl Grijalva stood as one of the biggest champions for working people in all of Congress.

“His leadership was singular.

“He mentored generously and was an incredible friend.

“I will always be grateful for his lifelong courage and commitment.”

Senator Bernie Sanders also laid praise on Grijalva, calling him a “fighter”.

In a moving tribute, he said: “I mourn the death of Rep. Raúl Grijalva, a former colleague of mine and one of the most progressive members of the U.S. House.

“Raúl was a fighter for working families throughout his entire life.

“He will be sorely missed.”

Senator Ruben Gallego from Arizona called Grijalva a “role model” in a heart-breaking tribute.

He said: “Congressman Grijalva was not just my colleague, but my friend.

“As another Latino working in public service, I can say from experience that he served as a role model to many young people across the Grand Canyon State.

“He spent his life as a voice for equality.”

Senator Gallego added: “I am praying for his family during this time of grief, and I hope that that they find comfort knowing his legacy is one that will stand tall for generations.”

The congressman was born in Tucson, Arizona, on February 19, 1948, and had three children with his wife Ramona, whom he married in 1971.

In October last year, Grijalva said he would not seek re-election in 2026, amid his cancer treatments.