JoAnna Mendoza, the Democratic nominee for Aizona's Sixth Congressional District, has participated in fundraisers hosted by organizations advocating for police defunding, even as she publicly rejects the movement. The Heart of LA Democratic Club, which cohosted a June event in Brentwood, praised the Los Angeles Black Lives Matter chapter's 2020 push to defund law enforcement as "a big step towards progress." The club also endorsed legislation to redirect police funding that year.
A History of Shifting Positions
Mendoza previously headlined a January fundraiser with the Stonewall Democratic Club, which signed a 2020 letter demanding "divestment of public funding from police" to combat "systemic, abusive, and unlawful use of lethal force on Black and Brown People." Her campaign now emphasizes she "has been on the record for years that police need MORE resources," including body cameras and training.
In 2020, Mendoza expressed support for "reallocation of funding" away from law enforcement during a virtual town hall, linking police conduct to "hundreds of deaths... at the hands of police brutality." She later walked back those remarks, stating she "did not support defunding the police" in a subsequent forum. The Arizona Police Association endorsed her opponent, Republican Rep. Juan Ciscomani, days after her earlier comments resurfaced.
Financial Disclosures Under Scrutiny
Mendoza's campaign also revised her financial disclosures after initial filings showed a net worth up to $4.7 million. A May 2025 update claimed assets of no more than $336,000, while revealing a previously undisclosed Tucson rental property valued between $250,000 and $500,000. Her campaign did not respond to requests for comment.