Arizona’s 6th District Race: Misleading Claims Surround JoAnna Mendoza’s Police Funding Stance
Recent narratives from right-wing media outlets have suggested that Democrat JoAnna Mendoza supports defunding the police, a claim that is in stark contrast with her actual stance. Mendoza, a nonprofit leader and military veteran, is running for the U.S. House in Arizona’s 6th District against the incumbent Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani, who secured his position in the 2024 elections by a margin of fewer than 11,000 votes.
On March 4, Fox News reported on a video from a 2020 town hall where Mendoza appeared to support reallocating law enforcement funds to social services, interpreting it as a move to “defund the police.” However, the context of the video tells a different story.
During the town hall, Mendoza was questioned about her approach to systemic racism in law enforcement. She advocated for a comprehensive public safety strategy that includes increased funding for social services, but did not propose cutting police budgets to achieve this. In fact, Mendoza emphasized the need for more resources for law enforcement, supporting measures like body cams and independent oversight committees to enhance accountability.
“I support policy solutions that hold officers accountable, such as body cams, ensuring that we have an independent oversight committee for investigations … and also ensuring that we have a database that would capture police officer misconduct,” Mendoza stated, highlighting reforms that typically require increased police funding and are often backed by police unions.
Mendoza further expressed her support for reallocating funds to essential social service programs, such as housing, public education, healthcare, economic stability, and environmental safety, to improve overall community well-being.
In another town hall event, Mendoza clearly stated, “I do not support defunding the police,” drawing parallels between police officers’ commitments and her own military service oath.
In contrast, Rep. Ciscomani supported the 2023 Limit, Save, Grow Act, which proposed significant cuts in federal funding for law enforcement and related agencies, including a $17 billion reduction affecting law enforcement, courts, and prisons, alongside decreased funding for Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This act passed in the House with exclusive Republican backing but was halted by Democrats in the Senate.
Kyle McCarthy, Mendoza’s spokesperson, dismissed the defunding claims as “categorically false, a lie, and a political smear from D.C. hacks hoping to save Juan Ciscomani from an early retirement.”
The Cook Political Report categorizes the Mendoza-Ciscomani contest as a toss-up, indicating a highly competitive race.
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