In a new campaign ad, Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) attacks Tucson Mayor Regina Romero for endorsing JoAnna Mendoza, his Democratic challenger in the 2026 6th Congressional District race.
The Ad
Rep. Ciscomani posted the minute-long ad on his personal X (formerly Twitter) account, writing, "RADICAL POLICIES. RADICAL ALLIES. JoAnna Mendoza is endorsed by Tucson's Failed, Unpopular Mayor Regina Romero for AZ06. Under Romero's failed leadership: Police officers and firefighters stretched thin, Homelessness and crime are rampant, Business owners left to pick up the mess. @Mendoza4AZ is a rubber stamp for these failed policies. Arizona families deserve safe streets and leaders who put public safety FIRST, not the failed policies currently hurting Tucson."
The ad pushes that under Romero's tenure, the city of Tucson has suffered with high crime rates.
An Arizona Free News article in October suggests that the "decline" in crime reports touted by Romero was precisely because residents no longer bothered to report it because officers were unable to address it, with a Reddit user comparing Tucson to Gotham City, the home of DC Comics' Batman.
Mendoza's Defund the Police Past
This dovetails with Mendoza's apparent previous support for defunding the police.
In March, footage from a 2020 interview shows Mendoza saying, "police reform is just one aspect of addressing systemic racism in our nation," which Rep. Ciscomani's newest ad includes.
However, the Mendoza campaign denies this, pointing out that Mendoza has called for greater police presence, saying in another 2020 interview, "I do not support defunding the police. Police officers are being asked to do too much. They're being asked to address issues because of the lack of resources in our communities."
Ciscomani Vs. Mendoza
This is not the first time the sitting Arizona congressman has attacked his Democratic challenger since the contest began.
In a June interview with Cactus Politics, Ciscomani characterized Mendoza as a progressive candidate seeking to position herself as a moderate, citing her endorsement list and what he described as a record of supporting higher taxes and reduced police funding.
Later that month, Ciscomani ran an attack ad highlighting Mendoza's support for allowing transgender individuals into women's restrooms and to compete in women and girls' sports.
