Democratic U.S. Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva of Arizona has died. He championed environmental protection and progressive ideals during his 12 terms in Congress.

The son of an immigrant, he represented a majority Hispanic district in Arizona for 12 terms but had lately been absent from Capitol Hill while being treated for cancer.

Arizona Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva has died, according to his congressional office. He was 77. The congressman died Thursday morning due to complications from cancer treatments, the office said. In April 2024, Grijalva announced he had been diagnosed with cancer and begun treatment. The diagnosis, he said at the time, was “difficult to process.”