Best Of Tucson®

Best Public Servant

Raúl Grijalva

When Raúl Grijalva's lean, mean political machine sent him to Washington three years ago, many Tucsonans knew it was destiny. Raúl's overwhelming support in a safe seat has allowed him to be aggressive, take some risks and show some leadership. He quickly rose to the second vice chair in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and has garnered various awards and perfect scores from progressive groups for his efforts on environmental, labor and civil rights issues. He recently celebrated his first bill to be signed into law (a real accomplishment in the hostile, glacial milieu of a Republican Congress), regaining land that was taken from the underdog Colorado River Indian tribes, fittingly enough. La Familia Grijalva: It's all about the love.

Runners up:

2. Mayor Bob Walkup
3. Gov. Janet Napolitano

Vote of note: "any school teacher"