Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) came out in favor of swearing in Rep.-elect Adelita S. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) after weeks of being denied her role.

Grijalva was elected to represent Arizona’s 7th congressional district on Sept. 23, but House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) refused to swear her in, saying he would wait until the House was back in session. Johnson previously swore in two Republican members of the House of Representatives when the House was out of session.

Grijalva and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes are now suing the House of Representatives over Johnson’s refusal to induct the new member.

Curtis told C-SPAN it’s time for Johnson to swear him in.

“I want to be careful, I have expressed how much I respect President Johnson,” Curtis said. “But the will of the people of Arizona has spoken, right? I think she needs to serve.”

“In my opinion, the will of the people has spoken,” Curtis added. “Let’s make her work.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., pauses during a news conference on day 30 of the government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., pauses during a news conference on day 30 of the government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025.

Photo AP/J. Scott Apple White

In recent weeks, Democrats have accused Johnson of delaying Grijalva’s swearing-in, in part because she would be the 218th key vote for a bipartisan petition related to the release of files on the deceased sex trafficker and longtime friend of President Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein.

In a letter to Johnson earlier this month, Grijalva said he is “stealing” his constituents by not swearing him in.

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“The delay in swearing in is robbing the people of southern Arizona of essential services to their constituents,” Grijalva said in the letter. “I can’t hire staff, open district offices or respond to constituent concerns.”