Jo Mendoza Says High Prices and Healthcare Cuts are crushing Arizona Families

Democratic congressional candidate Jo Mendoza said Republican indifference to soaring costs and shrinking healthcare is squeezing families across Arizona’s 6th Congressional District.

Speaking to Arizona Legislative District 17 Democrats, Mendoza framed the 2026 race against Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani as a battle over whether working families can still afford to live, raise children and get medical care in Arizona.

Mendoza is running in Congressional District 6, which has 129,172 Democrats, 129,706 Republicans, and 136,015 independents.

Economic Anxiety

“Across the district, we’ve held listening sessions, roundtables, and mini town halls, and what we keep hearing is that the cost of living is just too much,” Mendoza said. “It’s overwhelming, and people are really struggling.”

The former Marine and combat veteran said economic anxiety is dominating conversations with voters throughout Southern Arizona.

Mendoza said families are being hammered by rising housing costs, grocery bills and medical expenses while Republicans in Washington are pushing policies to benefit corporations and the wealthy.

“People need immediate relief,” Mendoza said. “They need to know that we have their back.”

Healthcare System ‘At Risk’

Mendoza warned that Republican cuts to federal programs have created shortages of doctors and nurses, and are putting rural Arizona communities in danger.

Mendoza said, “There are so many issues right now with the lack of medical professionals. We need doctors and nurses.”

She warned that rural hospitals are increasingly vulnerable amid financial pressure and Republican-backed cuts.

“Rural hospitals are at risk of closing or shutting down certain services,” Mendoza said. “Folks are going to have to drive an hour and a half for maternity care.”

Mendoza also targeted Ciscomani over healthcare votes in Congress.

“We know that Ciscomani voted against expanding ACA subsidies for folks who get their insurance through the marketplace,” she said. “And they also created additional barriers for folks who use Medicaid, which I grew up on.”

The comments reflect growing Democratic attacks on Republicans over healthcare affordability and access, particularly in rural communities where hospitals continue struggling financially.

ICE ‘Lawlessness’

Mendoza also addressed growing fear surrounding immigration enforcement and ICE operations.

There are a lot of folks who are really concerned,” she said, citing “ICE lawlessness, and the lack of adherence to the rule of law.”

She criticized what she described as the “targeting of Americans” and the detention of immigrants without transparency or accountability.

Mendoza specifically referenced the detention of DACA recipient Karla Toledo, 31, where ICE agents broke into her home without a warrant. Toledo was working and paying taxes, with no criminal record. She grew up in the U.S.

There was no reason to arrest her,” Mendoza said. “That’s not how we do business in America, and definitely not how we do business as Arizonans.”

Donate now to Jo Mendoza at www.joannamendoza.com.

‘I’m Running to Serve My Community’

Mendoza cast her campaign as a continuation of her military service rather than a political career move. “I’m running to serve my community,” she said. “I’m not running to get rich. I’m not doing this to go viral on social media.”

Mendoza said the race is fundamentally about restoring integrity, accountability and competence to government.

For Democrats eager to flip Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, Mendoza’s message was unmistakable: voters are angry and worried about whether they can still afford healthcare, good schools and a stable future.

And Democrats believe that frustration will finally put Ciscomani out of the House and into the gutter.