Arizona’s 6th Congressional District is one of just a handful of competitive districts around the country that could determine which party controls the U.S. House of Representatives next year.
Both Republican incumbent Rep. Juan Ciscomani and Democrat JoAnna Mendoza ran unopposed in their respective primary elections in CD6, a district covering parts of Tucson and rural communities in southeastern Arizona.
The Cook Political Report rates CD6, which President Trump won by less than 1% in 2024, as a true toss up.
With no primary challengers to fend off, Ciscomani and Mendoza have already started general election campaigns that can now begin in earnest.
Mendoza, a Navy and Marine Corps veteran who grew up in the district, is riding an expected “blue wave” that could be favorable for Democrats as Trump’s disapproval rating with Americans reaches new lows, driven by economic concerns.
She criticized Ciscomani for supporting Trump’s tax cut and spending legislation in 2025, dubbed the Big Beautiful Bill, which cut federal spending on Medicaid and food assistance.
Data shows Arizona has cut more people from SNAP federal food assistance than any other state since the legislation went into effect. Mendoza also blames Ciscomani for funding shortfalls at hospitals, especially rural facilities in CD6 that are more reliant on Medicaid dollars.
“Arizonan’s have watched their premiums rise, rural hospitals pushed to the brink, and hardworking families lose the healthcare they depend on. He sold us out to protect tax breaks for billionaires and voters know it,” Mendoza said in a statement earlier this year.
Ciscomani, meanwhile, has tried to paint Mendoza as out of touch with the district. He has pointed to her opposition to legislation banning transgender girls from using girls bathrooms or participating in girls sports.
"Parents are fed up with being demonized by extremists like Mendoza for wanting to protect their girls," Ciscomani said in a statement.
Ciscomani was first elected in 2022 and won re-election against Democrat Kirsten Engel in 2024.
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