Arizona’s 6th Congressional District covers parts of Pima, Pinal, Cochise, Graham and Greenlee counties and includes much of eastern Tucson, as well as communities in southeastern Arizona. 

Four candidates are competing to represent the district: Republican incumbent Juan Ciscomani, Democrat JoAnna Mendoza, Green Party candidate Gary Swing and Libertarian candidate Jereme Peters.

Ciscomani and Mendoza, the two major-party candidates, faced off in a debate Sept. 10, where they clashed over the economy, health care, immigration and other issues. Watch the replay here.

This Nov. 3 race is one of the most competitive congressional contests in the country and could help determine which party controls the U.S. House. Ciscomani won reelection in 2024 with 50% of the vote, and the district is now rated politically even by the Cook Political Report, meaning it leans toward neither party. 

Republicans currently hold a razor-thin House majority heading into the Nov. 3 election, and Democrats need a net gain of only a few seats to take control. Flipping a competitive Republican-held seat like District 6 would count toward that total, making this Southern Arizona race potentially pivotal in the national battle for the House.

Ciscomani is seeking a third term in Congress after first winning the seat in 2022. He narrowly defeated Democrat Kirsten Engel in 2022 and again in a 2024 rematch.

Before being elected to Congress, Ciscomani served as a senior adviser to former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and as vice-chair of the Arizona-Mexico Commission.

Mendoza, a Marine Corps veteran, previously ran for state Senate in 2020 and lost to Republican Vince Leach in District 11.

Swing is the Green Party candidate and is running on a platform that includes Medicare for All, a universal basic income, abolishing ICE and transitioning away from fossil fuels. Peters is the Libertarian candidate. He has not responded to Arizona Luminaria’s outreach, and his campaign website is inactive.

The candidates 

Where they stand

Democratic candidate JoAnna Mendoza and Green Party candidate Gary Swing responded to Arizona Luminaria’s questions. Republican incumbent Juan Ciscomani did not respond to four emails, a message sent through his campaign website or a voicemail left with his campaign. Libertarian candidate Jereme Peters did not respond to a message sent through social media, and his campaign website is inactive.

Because Ciscomani did not respond, Arizona Luminaria reviewed his public statements, including remarks made during debates, to summarize his positions on the issues. There was not enough publicly available information about Peters’ positions to do the same.

Candidates’ answers have been lightly edited for clarity. 

ICE activity

Federal immigration enforcement has become increasingly visible in Southern Arizona, including arrests such as that of Karla Toledo. What do you think of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s recent activity and what reforms or policies would you support regarding immigration enforcement actions?

Juan Ciscomani: Ciscomani has emphasized border security while also calling for changes to the legal immigration system. During the Sept. 10 debate, Ciscomani, who immigrated from Mexico with his family and became a U.S. citizen in 2006, described immigration as an issue “very near and dear to my heart.” He argued that border policies under former President Joe Biden made it harder for people seeking to immigrate legally and said he supports both securing the border and reforming the immigration process.

“I’m a product of the American Dream, I want people to have access to that American Dream,” Ciscomani said during the debate.

His campaign has made border security a central issue and highlights his endorsement from the National Border Patrol Council, saying he supports stronger border enforcement and resources for Border Patrol agents.

Ciscomani did not specifically address ICE’s recent enforcement actions in Southern Arizona nor the arrest of Karla Toledo in the public materials Arizona Luminaria reviewed.

JoAnna Mendoza: I believe in a fair immigration system that reflects our values as Americans. No one should be forced from their home, separated from their family, or denied due process without a lawful basis, especially veterans who have served our country. 

As a Marine veteran, I believe in law and order — and that means the law must apply to everyone, including those in government and our agencies. We can enforce the law while protecting due process and treating every person with dignity. Cases like Karla Toledo’s must be a wake-up call for us all. 

I support creating legal pathways to citizenship for people who work hard, follow the law, and contribute to their communities. I also support legislation to strengthen oversight of detention facilities and restore independent audits. I also support Sen. Mark Kelly and Sen. Ruben Gallego’s bicameral Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act.

Gary Swing: ICE’s recent actions in Southern Arizona, including the aggressive home arrest of DACA recipient Karla Toledo, represent a profound abuse of power and a violation of basic human rights. Agents forced entry without a judicial warrant, detained a longtime community member with protected status, and generated unproven claims that have not led to criminal charges. This is not “enforcement” — it is intimidation that terrorizes families and undermines the rule of law.

I support the complete abolition of ICE. Immigration enforcement should never involve militarized raids on homes, warrantless entries, or the detention of people who pose no public safety threat. 

Instead, I favor:

• Immediate pathways to permanent legal status and citizenship for Dreamers, long-term residents, and workers.
• An end to immigration detention and the for-profit prison industry that profits from it.
• Freedom of migration and international work permits not tied to a single employer.
• Fair trade policies that address the root economic and climate drivers of migration rather than punishing people who seek safety and opportunity.
• No border wall and a demilitarized border region focused on humanitarian response, not enforcement theater.

Human rights come first. Southern Arizona thrives when all residents — regardless of immigration status — can live free from fear. Abolishing ICE and replacing punitive enforcement with justice and dignity is the only path consistent with Green values of nonviolence, social justice, and ecological sustainability.

Cost of living and affordability

Southern Arizona families are facing pressure from housing, food, health care, energy and transportation costs. What should Congress do to make everyday life more affordable for residents of Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, and which policies would you prioritize to lower household costs?

Ciscomani: Ciscomani has argued that lowering taxes and federal spending will make life more affordable and has opposed tax increases and expanding the federal government. During the Sept. 10 debate, he defended his vote for the 2025 Republican tax and spending law, pointing to provisions eliminating federal income taxes on qualifying tips and overtime and extending the child tax credit.

“When you let people keep their taxes on tips and on overtime, and you extend the child tax credit, and you give small businesses incentives to expand and invest in their businesses, all these things help,” Ciscomani said during the debate.

Ciscomani also said Congress should rein in federal spending to address the national debt. On housing, he has backed efforts to streamline housing development and expand access to homeownership, including legislation aimed at making VA home loans more accessible to veterans, particularly those living in rural communities.

Mendoza: Growing up in rural poverty and as the proud daughter of farmworkers, I saw how hard my parents worked to still struggle to make ends meet. I believe working one job should allow you to provide for your family through a livable wage, benefits, and the ability to retire with dignity.

Now, as a working mom myself, I know what it’s like to stretch a dollar and worry about rising costs. Families are paying far too much for groceries, gas, health care, housing, and utilities.

In Congress, I will work to lower costs by cracking down on price gouging that costs families thousands more a year by strengthening consumer protections and stopping unfair price disparities in rural communities. I will work with my colleagues in both parties to modernize the child tax credit to deliver relief to working families and oppose reckless tariffs that drive up costs.

Swing: Everyday costs are crushing Southern Arizona families because our economy prioritizes corporate profits and endless growth over people and the planet. Congress must act boldly to lower household expenses through systemic reforms that deliver real relief while building long-term resilience.

I would prioritize:

• Medicare for All, eliminating premiums, deductibles, and medical debt so no family faces financial ruin from illness.

• A universal basic income funded by cutting the military budget 90%, ending corporate welfare, and carbon/pollution taxes that return revenue as dividends to households.
• Aggressive action on housing: expand public and social housing, enact strong renter protections and vacancy taxes on speculative holdings, and end subsidies that inflate prices.
• Lower energy bills through massive investment in energy efficiency, decentralized solar and renewables, and public power options—while ensuring a just transition that protects ratepayers.
• Support local, sustainable food systems by shifting farm subsidies away from industrial agribusiness toward small farms, urban agriculture, and soil-building practices that stabilize prices and improve nutrition.
• Expand affordable public transit and active transportation to cut car-dependent costs.

True affordability requires a steady-state economy that lives within ecological limits rather than chasing growth that drives up housing, water, and energy prices. These policies put money back in people’s pockets, reduce corporate extraction, and create secure green jobs in Arizona’s 6th District.

Economic development and environmental protections

Southern Arizona leaders are looking for ways to attract jobs and investment, while proposed data centers have raised concerns about their electricity and water demands particularly amid Colorado River water cuts. How should Southern Arizona balance economic development with protecting its water and energy resources, and what is your position on further data center development in the region?

Ciscomani: Ciscomani has emphasized expanding Arizona’s economy while protecting the state’s water supply. During the Sept. 10 debate, he called water “our most precious resource” and said Arizona needs to secure its share of the Colorado River while pursuing conservation, infrastructure improvements and additional water supplies.

Ciscomani has also promoted economic development in Southern Arizona, including mining and other industries, and has argued that federal and local governments should reduce regulatory barriers to investment and development.

Ciscomani said Southern Arizona must balance economic development and technological growth with protecting local water and energy resources during an interview on Arizona Public Media’s The Press Room. He said communities should have the final say over whether data centers are built in their neighborhoods and under what conditions.

“Local communities have to have the final say on this and the full-blown seat at the table on it,” he said.

Ciscomani also said data center developers should be responsible for bringing their own electricity and water resources rather than relying on existing local supplies.

Mendoza: In Arizona, water is life, and it is far too scarce. In Congress, I will fight to strengthen water infrastructure, secure Arizona’s fair share of Colorado River resources, protect groundwater, and clean up contaminants like PFAS to ensure safe drinking water.

My opponent voted for a massive multibillion-dollar tax cut for data centers in the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill. (Editor’s note: The bill did not include a tax break specifically for data centers, but it did include business tax breaks that could be used by data centers, according to a Wisconsin Watch fact-check of a similar claim.) 

When it comes to data centers, I am deeply concerned about water usage, utility costs, and our local communities’ autonomy to make the best decisions for themselves.  

As new industries like data centers emerge, I am committed to fighting to make sure that these industries bring their own energy and don’t drive up costs for Arizonans, and I believe strongly that localities should have decision-making power in all processes. My priority is keeping utility costs from rising, protecting workers and consumers, and safeguarding our limited water supply.

Swing: Southern Arizona must put water security, energy sustainability, and community needs first — not short-term corporate profits. 

Data centers are extraordinarily intensive users of electricity and water in a region already facing Colorado River cuts, prolonged drought, and finite groundwater. Further large-scale development without strict limits risks higher utility bills for residents, depleted aquifers, and strained grids while delivering mostly transient construction jobs and limited long-term local benefits.

As a Green, I support a steady-state economy grounded in ecology: use pollution and carbon taxes so the true environmental costs of energy and water are priced in; end corporate welfare and subsidies that favor resource-intensive industries; and rapidly transition to decentralized renewables (solar, wind, geothermal) plus aggressive conservation and efficiency. 

Economic development should focus on green jobs in renewable energy, water recycling/reuse, sustainable agriculture, and efficiency retrofits — sectors that strengthen resilience rather than compete with households and farms for scarce resources.

I oppose further data-center expansion unless projects demonstrably use near-zero local water (closed-loop or air cooling with no net draw on Colorado River or groundwater allocations), source 100% additional renewable power without burdening the existing grid or raising residential rates, and undergo full public environmental review with community veto power. 

Growth that undermines the desert’s limited carrying capacity is not progress. Protect the commons first; true prosperity follows from living within ecological limits.

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