JoAnna "Jo" Mendoza is a 20-year Marine Corps veteran running in the former Gabby Giffords seat — and she's already outraised the MAGA incumbent. Support Jo directly!
Donate via ActBlue »Meet the candidate: watch Jo's interview. And don't miss this powerful video about why she's running — to provide greater opportunity, tackle affordability, fight corporate greed, empower women, and "lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way."
Here's what Jo had to say about AZ-06, where she was born and raised and where Gabby Giffords once served:
JoAnna Mendoza embodies the spirit of 'Arizona Tough'. Raised in a farmworker family in Pinal County, she experienced firsthand the realities of rural poverty and the power of community. At just 17, Jo enlisted in the U.S. Navy before joining the U.S. Marine Corps. Her 20-year military career was defined by leadership and sacrifice — including her role as a Marine Corps Drill Instructor and deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Jo stood on the frontlines for our country; now she's ready to stand up for Southern Arizona. A June 20 New York Times profile of both AZ-06 candidates gets personal about each of them — and Jo's story is a powerful one.
Jo is endorsed by Senator Mark Kelly and former Rep. Gabby Giffords. She previously served on the staff of U.S. Representative Tom O'Halleran.
See a Hopium Chronicles interview with Jo Mendoza — Jo comments on the war in Iran and the fact that her opponent has voted to support it. She does so as a 20-year drill instructor in the Marines. "No one wins in a war." There are 80,000 veterans in AZ-06, "and they're not happy." Jo checked back in on August 5 with a fresh account of where AZ-06 stands. And Jo has been meeting voters face to face — see her AZ-06 town hall here.
The District
AZ-06 is the former Gabby Giffords seat — suburban, rural, and small-town Southern Arizona, with 80,000 veterans and a 25% Hispanic population. Cook Political Report rated it a Toss Up — and in October Cook moved AZ-06 toward Democrats. Veterans running statewide (Kelly, Gallego, Fontes) have all overperformed here.
Local news covering the AZ-06 race notes that Jo is the only Democrat who has filed a fundraising report this cycle and has already outraised the MAGA incumbent — who nevertheless carries a large opening balance from prior campaigns.
The Opponent
Juan Ciscomani, a MAGA extremist, won by only 2.5 points in 2024. He assured his constituents he would never cut Medicaid, signed a letter to Speaker Johnson pleading to preserve it, then voted to cut it in the Big Ugly Bill (source, letter). Jo's fact-check calls out both Ciscomani and Medicare/Medicaid Director Dr. Mehmet Oz for claiming to have "brought $550 billion to Medicaid" when Ciscomani actually voted for $1 trillion in cuts. And in the September AZ-06 debate he lied about taxes and veterans — Jo's campaign has the fact-check. The Tucson Sentinel and American Bridge have extensive reporting on his record. Indivisible Tucson maintains dedicated sites: juanlies.com and indivisibletucson.org/ciscomani. For a scathing wrap-up, read A Democracy in the Balance summary of the AZ-06 race — all the way through to the end.
Latest Updates
- Cook Political Report moves 18 House races toward Democrats — including all four of the House races we are tracking and supporting. AZ-06 is one of them. The ground is shifting under Ciscomani; let's keep it moving.
Endorsements & Support
- Campaign website
- Emily's List
- Swing Left — Flip the House
- Force Multiplier
- Bold PAC endorsement — the fastest-growing Democratic PAC dedicated to increasing diversity in House and Senate leadership. Members include Senator Ben Ray Luján and Reps. Gabe Vasquez and Teresa Leger Fernandez.
- Pete Buttigieg endorsement, joining both of Arizona's Senators (Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly) and Gabby Giffords.
Local Organizing
