How To Use This Guide

1. Pick the issues you care about. Rank the two or three that matter most to you, such as prices, health care, the border or veterans’ services.
2. Find which office handles them. The U.S. House writes federal law and sets the federal budget, including Medicaid, food assistance and veterans’ health care, and all bills that raise taxes must start there. The eight statewide propositions would change Arizona’s constitution or state law on taxes, elections, schools and policing.
3. Compare the candidates. Read where each candidate stands on your top issues, then read the candidates’ own words and who funds each campaign.

The U.S. House Race

What This Office Does

U.S. House members serve two-year terms and vote on every federal law and the federal budget. The 6th District covers parts of Tucson and rural communities across southeastern Arizona. Trump carried the district by less than 1% in 2024, according to KJZZ. The district uses the same lines as in 2022 and 2024, drawn by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. The Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rate the race Lean Democratic, and Inside Elections rates it Toss-up, according to Ballotpedia’s race overview. ​

Candidates In Brief

Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) was born in Mexico, grew up in Tucson and graduated from Pima Community College and the University of Arizona. Ciscomani worked for the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and as a senior adviser to former Gov. Doug Ducey, and was first elected in 2022, according to Ciscomani’s Ballotpedia profile. Ciscomani won a 2024 rematch with Democrat Kirsten Engel, 50.0% to 47.5%, and was unopposed in the Tuesday, July 21 Republican primary.

Democrat JoAnna Mendoza was born in Florence. Mendoza served in the Navy from 1994 to 1997 and in the Marine Corps from 1998 to 2016, with two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, according to Mendoza’s Ballotpedia profile. Mendoza later worked as a veterans outreach coordinator at Pima Community College and as a veteran services representative for former Rep. Tom O’Halleran (D). Mendoza lost a 2020 race for the state Senate and was unopposed in the July 21 Democratic primary.

Green Party candidate Gary Swing holds political science degrees from the University of Colorado and has worked as a cultural events promoter, postal carrier and grocery receiver, according to the Arizona Mirror’s voter guide. Libertarian Jereme Lance Peters is also on the ballot, and independent Michael Dorland is running as a write-in candidate.

Where They Stand

Cost of living. Ciscomani blames inflation under the Biden administration and says “What we don’t need is more taxes,” according to KOLD’s debate report. Mendoza blames tariffs and says “My opponent voted nine times for tariffs, tariffs that are raising prices for everywhere we go.” AZPM found both explanations incomplete, according to AZPM’s debate fact-check. It cited Federal Reserve research linking the recent inflation spike to pandemic supply problems and strong demand, and finding that tariffs raised goods prices.

Health care and food aid. Mendoza says Ciscomani’s vote for the 2025 tax and spending law cut Medicaid and food assistance and strained rural hospitals. “He sold us out to protect tax breaks for billionaires and voters know it,” Mendoza says, according to KJZZ. Mendoza says the law’s new work rules for food assistance “really are barriers for people accessing these programs that really need it.” Ciscomani says Arizona’s $167 million rural health award fell short and joined a bipartisan letter asking federal officials to raise it, according to AZPM.

Border security. Ciscomani says “Every law enforcement organization endorsed me and endorsed against my opponent.” Mendoza says Mendoza will work to strengthen border security, according to Fox 10 Phoenix.

Veterans. Mendoza says Ciscomani’s support for the Department of Government Efficiency led to staff cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Ciscomani says “When we talk about staff getting cut, no doctors were let go.”

Transgender students. Ciscomani cites Mendoza’s opposition to bills limiting transgender girls’ access to girls’ sports and restrooms. Ciscomani says “Parents are fed up with being demonized by extremists like Mendoza for wanting to protect their girls.” Mendoza opposes Proposition 318, the statewide measure on that issue, according to Ballotpedia.

Foreign policy. Swing calls for cutting the military budget by 90%, closing all foreign military bases and ending all foreign military aid, according to the Arizona Mirror.

In Their Own Words

Juan Ciscomani, in a campaign ad, as quoted by the Arizona Mirror:

“I work with and stand up to both parties to get things done.”

JoAnna Mendoza, in a campaign ad, as quoted by the Arizona Mirror:

“I’ll fight to lower your costs, protect your healthcare, and keep all our kids safe.”

Gary Swing, in Ballotpedia’s candidate survey:

“Human rights first.”

Questionnaires And Debates

Ciscomani and Mendoza debated on Thursday, Sept. 10, in a debate produced by the Citizens Clean Elections Commission and the Arizona Media Association, according to AZPM. Mendoza and Swing completed Ballotpedia’s 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Ciscomani and Peters did not.

Endorsements

Before the primary, President Donald Trump endorsed Ciscomani for reelection on Friday, July 10, according to Just the News. AllCiv’s endorsement data also lists House Speaker Mike Johnson, the Log Cabin Republicans and the Republican Jewish Coalition among Ciscomani’s backers.

Mendoza is endorsed by:

Who Is Funding Them

These figures come from Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports for the 2026 cycle through Wednesday, Oct. 14, as compiled by Ballotpedia:

  • Mendoza reported raising $11,242,473 and spending $10,434,574, with $807,899 on hand.
  • Ciscomani reported raising $7,649,794 and spending $7,267,656, with $618,699 on hand.
  • Peters reported raising and spending $10,500, in figures that run only through Tuesday, March 31.
  • Swing has not reported any fundraising.

AllCiv’s Arizona 6th District race page shows $4.9 million in outside spending in the race. FEC filings list donors who give more than $200 in a cycle by name. Smaller gifts are reported only as a lump total.

The Incumbent’s Record

Ciscomani serves on the House Appropriations Committee, where Ciscomani is vice chair of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, and on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. This Congress, Ciscomani has voted in 609 of 645 roll call votes and voted against most Republicans 14 times out of 574, according to AllCiv’s vote data. AllCiv ranks that rate in the top quarter of the House for independence from party. Ciscomani has cosponsored 321 bills, and the 32 bills Ciscomani sponsored drew 221 cosponsors, 100 of them from across the aisle.

Ciscomani voted for the 2025 tax and spending law, which passed the House 218 to 214 on Thursday, July 3, 2025, according to the House clerk’s roll call. Before that vote, Ciscomani signed a letter with other House Republicans warning against Medicaid cuts, according to the Copper Courier. The Copper Courier also reported that in August a congressional scorecard tracker ranked Ciscomani among the most bipartisan members.

AZPM fact-checked the debate:

  • AZPM rated true Mendoza’s claim that the Department of Government Efficiency cuts Ciscomani supported led to staff losses at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The department’s Arizona workforce lost 575 employees.
  • AZPM rated false Mendoza’s claim that Arizona got the least rural health funding in the country. The state ranked sixth lowest.
  • AZPM rated false Ciscomani’s claim that Mendoza was “cheating” on taxes. Mendoza improperly received a property tax benefit worth about $820 over two years, which Mendoza’s campaign called a filing mistake. Mendoza was not charged with a crime and asked Pima County to correct the record on Monday, Aug. 10.

Challengers’ Records

Mendoza has not held public office. Swing and Peters have not held public office.

Scorecards Readers Can Check

Three groups grade Ciscomani:

Each group picks different votes, so their ratings measure different things.

Also On Your Ballot

Voters will also choose a governor from Gov. Katie Hobbs (D), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Green Party candidate Risa Lombardo and Teri Ann Hourihan, according to AllCiv’s governor race page. The Legislature placed eight propositions on the statewide ballot. The Secretary of State’s 2026 ballot language has the official text, and the descriptions and positions below come from Ballotpedia’s page on each measure.

Proposition 141: Vehicle mileage taxes. A Yes vote amends the state constitution to bar state and local governments from taxing or charging fees based on miles driven, according to Ballotpedia’s Prop 141 page). It also bars them from monitoring or limiting miles driven without the driver’s consent. A No vote leaves those options open. The Republican Party of Arizona and the Arizona Free Enterprise Club support it, and the Democratic Party of Arizona and the Associated General Contractors of Arizona oppose it.

Proposition 142: Race-based preferences in education. A Yes vote amends the constitution to bar the state from three things, according to Ballotpedia’s Prop 142 page):

  • Requiring anyone to endorse preferential treatment based on race or ethnicity.
  • Funding public school or university offices that promote such treatment.
  • Requiring diversity, equity and inclusion courses or training of that kind.

A No vote keeps current law. Republican lawmakers placed it on the ballot. Attorney General Kris Mayes, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and the ACLU of Arizona oppose it.

Proposition 144: Voter ID and citizenship. A Yes vote amends the constitution in four ways, according to Ballotpedia’s Prop 144 page):

  • It says only citizens may register and vote.
  • It bans foreign nationals’ contributions to influence Arizona elections.
  • It requires government-issued ID to cast any ballot, including mail ballots.
  • It gives voters the right to have their ballot counted at their voting location.

A No vote keeps current election law. Republican legislators support it, and Kelly, Fontes and Mayes oppose it.

Proposition 316: Grocery taxes. A Yes vote bars cities and towns from adding or raising a tax on groceries without voter approval and caps such taxes at 2%, according to Ballotpedia’s Prop 316 page). A No vote leaves the decision with local councils. Supporters include the Republican Party of Arizona and the progressive groups Chispa Arizona and Progress Arizona. Opponents include Bisbee Mayor Ken Budge and the Arizona Municipal Clerks’ Association.

Proposition 317: Drug cartels. A Yes vote declares drug cartels terrorist organizations and directs the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to do “everything within its authority to address the threat posed by drug cartels,” according to Ballotpedia’s Prop 317 page). A No vote rejects the designation. The Republican Party of Arizona supports it, and the ACLU of Arizona and the Democratic Party of Arizona oppose it.

Proposition 318: School sports and private spaces. A Yes vote bars schools and athletic associations from letting anyone use a restroom, locker room or shower not designated for their sex as recorded on their original birth certificate. It also removes the rule letting girls play on teams designated for boys, according to Ballotpedia’s Prop 318 page). A No vote keeps current law. Biggs and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne support it, and Mayes, Mendoza and the Arizona Education Association oppose it.

Proposition 319: Traffic cameras. A Yes vote bars new photo enforcement systems for speed and red-light violations, according to Ballotpedia’s Prop 319 page). Local governments that already use them would need voter approval to keep them. A No vote leaves the cameras to local decision. The Republican Party of Arizona and Progress Arizona support it, and AAA Arizona and the Arizona Public Health Association oppose it.

Proposition 320: School classroom spending. A Yes vote applies to school districts with more than 7,500 students, or in counties of more than 500,000 people, according to Ballotpedia’s Prop 320 page). Those districts would have to spend at least 60% of their operational spending on direct instruction, as defined by the state auditor general. A No vote keeps current spending rules. The Goldwater Institute and the Arizona Free Enterprise Club support it, and Mayes and Pima County Schools Superintendent Dustin Williams oppose it.

Before You Go

Still Ahead

  • Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polling places are open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to the Secretary of State’s Election Day guidance. Find your polling place on the Arizona Voter Information Portal.
  • Mail ballots should no longer go in the mail. Arizona counts ballots that are in election officials’ hands by 7 p.m. on Election Day, not ballots postmarked by then. Drop yours at a polling place, voting center or official drop box, according to the Secretary of State’s ballot return reminder.
  • ID: You must show proof of identity at the polls. If there is a problem with your registration or ID, you may cast a provisional ballot, and no voter should be turned away without at least that option, according to the Secretary of State.
  • Fixing ballot problems: The deadline to fix a signature or ID problem with your ballot is Sunday, Nov. 8.
  • Questions: Call the Secretary of State’s elections division at 1-877-THE-VOTE (1-877-843-8683), or call or text the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).

Deadlines That Have Passed

  • Registration closed at 11:59 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, according to the Secretary of State’s elections calendar.
  • Early voting began Wednesday, Oct. 7. Early in-person voting ended Friday, Oct. 30, and emergency voting began that evening.
  • Mailing back your ballot was recommended by Tuesday, Oct. 27.

Sources

AllCiv Profiles and Race Pages

Official Records

Candidate Statements and Questionnaires

News

Ballot Measures

Endorsements

Scorecards

Voting Information

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