JoAnna MendozaJoAnna Mendoza

While she believes in the right to responsible gun ownership, Mendoza also knows that we can and must do more to keep our children safe and end our nation’s epidemic of senseless violence. In Congress, she will be a strong voice for meaningful measures designed to save lives, like universal background checks, stronger safe storage requirements, and increased regulations on untraceable gun ghosts.

JoAnna Mendoza is running to represent Arizona's 6th District in the House. Raised in a farmworking family in Pinal County, Arizona, Mendoza went on to serve a 20-year military career in the Navy and Marine Corps. A proud mom, lifelong public servant, and retired U.S. Marine, she's always answered the call to serve. If elected, Mendoza would be the first LGBTQ+ person to represent the district. Her priorities include lowering costs for families, expanding access to health care and education, and advancing sensible gun safety laws.

VoteVets endorsed. U.S. Navy veteran.

We’re proud to endorse JoAnna Mendoza for the U.S. House of Representatives in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District.

She recognizes the importance of family planning and reproductive health in the United States and around the world. As a former Marine, she saw firsthand how important access to contraceptives is to women serving, and how essential investment in these programs globally is to a safer, more stable world.

On the other hand, her opponent, incumbent Republican Juan Ciscomani, has stood by silently while the Trump administration has dismantled domestic and international family planning programs. When he had a chance to support legislation to prevent the administration from destroying some $10 million worth of taxpayer funded contraceptives meant for people poor countries, he disappeared — literally. He left the room rather than take a stand.

Mendoza is one of the strongest candidates to emerge in 2026. She’ll be an excellent member of Congress, and we’re excited to support her.

JoAnna Mendoza, a former Marine Corps drill instructor, is taking on Rep. Juan Ciscomani in a Southern Arizona district that Ciscomani has won twice by razor-thin margins. She's built a formidable fundraising operation, and Democrats are confident that a favorable national environment will finally push this seat into the blue column.

JoAnna Mendoza was born and raised in Pinal County, Arizona in a farmworker family that often struggled to make ends meet. She answered the call to serve at 17, spending 20 years in the Navy and Marine Corps. Now, she’s running for Congress to replace Republican incumbent Congressman Juan Ciscomani in one of the most competitive districts in the country.

Born and raised in Arizona, JoAnna Mendoza is the daughter of farmworkers who taught her the values of hard work and resilience. At 17, Jo enlisted in the U.S. Navy before joining the U.S. Marine Corps. She deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and trained the next generation of Marines as a Drill Instructor. After two decades of service, Jo returned home to raise her son and continue her life of service. Jo became a nonprofit leader, veterans’ advocate, and worked as a congressional staffer. Jo has lived the struggles of rural poverty, military sacrifice, and single motherhood, and has never stopped fighting for her community. In Congress, she will fight for Southern Arizona by working to lower costs, grow economic opportunity, and protect our national security.