arrow_back Jo Mendoza
Jo Mendoza

Jo Mendoza

AZ-06 Arizona's 6th Congressional District

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:

"In the district, we have a swing electorate, a very large swing electorate here and it has been represented by both Democrats and Republicans. And it has about 80,000 veterans and a couple of military bases… it also has about 25% Hispanic population. So, it is a combination of suburban, maybe a tiny bit of urban, and then a lot of rural and small towns."
"We took a look at veterans who ran statewide, like Senator Kelly and Senator Gallego, and even our Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, who's a Marine veteran, and they all overperformed in this district. So, we firmly believe that because it is an extremely competitive district, [it] has a soft, or sweet spot, for veterans, and my profile would resonate with a lot of people. Plus, I was born and raised here in a rural community… I'm a part of this district."

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.

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.

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 rates it a Toss Up. 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). The Tucson Sentinel and American Bridge have extensive reporting on his record. Indivisible Tucson maintains dedicated sites: juanlies.com and indivisibletucson.org/ciscomani.

Endorsements & Support

Local Organizing

Jo Mendoza in uniform
Jo Mendoza served for over 20 years in the Navy and Marine Corps