Mendoza projected to flip Arizona seat, unseat Ciscomani

Democrat JoAnna Mendoza, a Navy and Marine Corps veteran who served during the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” era, was projected to defeat Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani and flip Arizona’s closely contested 6th Congressional District. With about 70% of votes counted, Mendoza led by roughly 58% to 40%. She campaigned on the cost of living and argued that Ciscomani’s support for Republican policies, including cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, would harm working families; Ciscomani defended the changes as a way to curb waste and fraud and said tax cuts would boost jobs. The race also reflected competing views of Ciscomani’s record: he emphasized his bipartisan work, while Mendoza criticized him for aligning too closely with President Trump and his administration.