VoteVets, a liberal group dedicated to electing veteran lawmakers, is endorsing JoAnna Mendoza in Arizona’s 6th District.
Mendoza is vying for a chance to take on vulnerable Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) in the general election. In the past two cycles, Democrats ran former state Sen. Kirsten Engel against Ciscomani and lost narrowly both times.
Now, Mendoza is angling to win the nomination with an aggressive early launch. The Marine veteran raised $816,000 in the first quarter and received an endorsement from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ BOLD PAC.
Arizona’s 6th District is a true purple seat. The district voted for President Donald Trump in 2024 after narrowly backing former President Joe Biden in 2020.
VoteVets is a major player in the Democratic primary space and works in tandem with other top Democratic outside groups. It possesses the resources to swing ad spending in its candidates’ favor. Last cycle, the group spent $50 million to support endorsed candidates.
“While Juan Ciscomani lacks the courage to stand up to the special interests that fund his campaign, JoAnna can always be counted on to advocate for hardworking Arizonans,” VoteVets senior adviser Max Rose, the former New York lawmaker, said in a statement.
