TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Winning Congressional District 6 is a thorny problem in modern politics. Congressional incumbent Juan Ciscomani debated against challenger Joanna Mendoza.
Candidates in some political races refuse to meet in debate, Mendoza and Ciscomani did meet in a debate sponsored by the Arizona Clean Elections Commission.
Congressional District 6 has a big footprint that covers urban, suburban and rural including land along the US Mexico Border. It’s not a sure-thing district for either party. The district tends to elect centrists from either side of the aisle.
Debate questions ranged from health care to border issues to the war with Iran. But top of the list was top of mind for many voters. The economy and the cost of living.
Mendoza criticized Ciscomani’s support of the recent big budget bill which she says cuts too deeply into critical services like SNAP which helps low income families pay for food.
Ciscomani says the bill helps families with their cost of living.
“And when you let people keep their taxes on tips and on overtime, and you extend the child tax credit, and you give small businesses incentives to expand and invest in their businesses, all these things help. What we don't need is more government, more taxes, as my opponent continues to propose. That's not an area where we want to go into because that only stifles the growth of the economy and it also hurts families in Arizona and across the country.”
Mendoza contends that bill helped the rich much more than the poor.
“I think that we can start lowering costs by actually reversing all of the tax cuts to billionaires that my opponent voted for in HR one. We can also ensure that we end the tariffs because they're raising prices everywhere. We reinstate programs like SNAP, programs that I used as a young child growing up. In addition, to ensuring that we are giving more tax cuts to our working families because they work so hard and still can't make ends meet, and that was a result of the vote that my opponent took for HR One.”
Mendoza reminded viewers she served 20 years in the Marines, and sees going to Congress as an extension of that service.
Juan Ciscomani told the audience he has a special understanding of immigration and border issues because he is an immigrant who went through the process of becoming a US citizen 20 years ago.
Now voters in CD6 have less than two months to decide if Juan Ciscomani should win a third term in Washington or if Joanna Mendoza should represent District 6 instead.
