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Rep. Rachel Keshel, who represents Legislative District 17, accuses the pro-immigrant activist group Living United for Change in Arizona, or Lucha, of failing to file required campaign-finance documents and of possible ballot harvesting as it works to elect Adelita Grijalva in the special election.

Lucha and the Grijalva campaign characterized Keshel’s accusation as a last-minute political attack.

Keshel asked Attorney General Kris Mayes to investigate in a July 9 letter. She used as the basis of her ballot-harvesting accusation images from Lucha’s Instagram account showing volunteers standing at voters’ doors, ballot envelopes apparently in hand.

“Lucha staff and/or volunteers appear to be canvassing door-to-door in residential neighborhoods and handling what appear to be early ballots,� the complaint says.

Arizona’s law forbids political organizations or other strangers from going door-to-door to collect from or mail early ballots for voters. Only family members, household members or caregivers are allowed to handle ballots for others under Arizona’s law.

Keshel also alleges that Lucha is required to file campaign-finance disclosures, since members have been campaigning for Grijalva.

Cesar Fierros of Lucha dismissed Keshel’s allegations: “This complaint is politically motivated by MAGA and holds no merit. We are in complete compliance with election law and federal filing obligations.�

Grijalva’s campaign said of the complaint: “It’s shame taxpayer dollars are being wasted on bogus complaints by MAGA politicians. The hypocrisy is rich coming from someone who pushed lies about the 2020 election and sponsored legislation to strip Arizonans of their right to choose the president by letting the Legislature override the popular vote.�

Shooting issue in Hernandez support

Why don’t former Rep. Gabby Giffords and her husband, Sen. Mark Kelly, support Daniel Hernandez Jr., who helped save Giffords’ life when she was shot on Jan. 8, 2011? That’s a question several Tucson-area voters have put to the Star as the campaign for Congressional District 7 wraps up.

The answer from a Giffords spokeswoman: “Gabby and Mark believe Adelita is the right person for this job, but that doesn’t change their appreciation for Daniel’s hard work in the Arizona Legislature and his commitment to public service.�

But election watchers noted they also did not support Hernandez in some previous elections. Ron Barber, who also was shot that day and succeeded Giffords in Congress, may have offered a clue in comments he made to the Star last week.

Asked about Hernandez, Barber said he and others don’t like the way Hernandez has sometimes used the shooting experience during previous campaigns.

“He’s ridden that horse in any race he’s been in,� Barber said. “I think it’s exploitative.�

“People who were there mostly don’t appreciate that,� he added.

Outside groups pour money into CD7

As the race for the Democratic nomination in Congressional District 7 wraps up, outside groups are pouring last minute spending into the race.

In reports filed since July 10, the Tucson Families Fed Up PAC, a mysterious group working in the race, spent $43,253 opposing Grijalva. The Youth Save Democracy PAC spent $35,000 supporting Deja Foxx.

The Votar es Poder PAC spent $6,015 supporting Grijalva, and the Working Families Party PAC put another $27,500 toward supporting Grijalva.