Congressional candidates tackle housing, immigration

By Andrew Rice
The Center Square

Immigration and housing policies will be at the top of voters’ minds in Arizona’s 6th and 9th congressional districts, races that could determine control of Congress in November.

District 6

Incumbent Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Arizona, is seeking a third term in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District. He is running unopposed in Tuesday’s Republican primary.

Republicans have maintained a historic hold in the district, which runs along parts of the U.S.-Mexico border, for years. However, rising disapproval of President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda could put Ciscomani in a difficult position come November.

Trump endorsed Ciscomani and specifically touted his support for the president’s immigration agenda in a social media post on July 10. Ciscomani immigrated to the United States from Mexico and became a naturalized citizen in 2006.

“Juan is fighting hard to keep our Border SECURE, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Military/Vets, Support our Great Law Enforcement, and Protect our always under siege Second Amendment,” Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social.

Ciscomani introduced the FAST Housing Act, a piece of legislation that would require the secretary of housing and urban development to award a maximum of 15 grants to develop workforce housing in specific cities of need across the country.

“For years, the U.S. has failed to build enough housing to keep up with today’s demand,” Ciscomani said. “This shortage has created a significant need for additional affordable housing in southern Arizona and communities across the country. We see a common theme: Costs are higher, making it more difficult for families to enter the marketplace.”

Ciscomani will face off against JoAnna Mendoza, a veteran outreach coordinator, in November. Mendoza is running unopposed in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.

She received endorsements from U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, both D-Arizona, as well as former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

Mendoza has pushed for expanding the Child Tax Credit and Social Security for beneficiaries who are on fixed incomes.

“The Social Security benefit isn’t enough to cover basic necessities,” Mendoza’s website reads. “JoAnna will oppose any efforts to cut seniors’ hard-earned benefits. She strongly supports strengthening Social Security and exploring ways to increase benefits, especially for seniors living on fixed incomes.”

Mendoza leads fundraising with about $6.5 million in contributions to her 2026 campaign, over Ciscomani, who has approximately $4 million. However, Ciscomani has nearly $1 million more in cash-on-hand compared to Mendoza, due to contributions from previous campaigns.

Ciscomani has a $1,000 contribution from the Texas Instruments Incorporated Political Action Committee, $5,000 from the Republican Jewish Coalition PAC and $3,500 from PriceWaterHouseCoopers PAC. Mendoza has raised $2,000 from the McKenzie River PAC, $5,000 from the Silicorn Valley PAC and $1,000 from the Sunflower Seeds PAC.

Mendoza and Ciscomani, who will face each other in the Nov. 3 general election, did not respond to The Center Square’s requests for an interview.

District 9

Arizona’s 9th Congressional District will also see a single incumbent face off against a single candidate from the opposing major party. U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Arizona, will seek a ninth term in Congress against Democrat Danielle Sterbinsky.

Both candidates are running unopposed Tuesday in their parties’ primaries and will square off in November.

Trump endorsed Gosar in the 9th district race and pointed to his support of the administration’s priorities.

“A MAGA Warrior, who has been with us from the very beginning, Paul is working hard to Grow our Economy, Cut Taxes and Regulations, Promote MADE IN THE U.S.A., Advance American ENERGY DOMINANCE,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Gosar introduced the Gun Owner Registration Information Protection Act, a bill that would prohibit the federal funding of state databases that list firearms legally owned by individuals or the names of individuals who legally possess firearms.

“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right. The GRIP Act safeguards constitutional freedoms and protects the privacy of millions of law-abiding Americans,” Gosar said.

Gosar did not respond the The Center Square’s requests for an interview.

Sterbinsky, a Navy veteran, has focused her campaign on providing support for homeowners. She has advocated for tax credits toward first-time homebuyers and lowering rent prices across the country.

Sterbinsky said she supports the passage of the ROAD to Housing Act, a bipartisan law that places restrictions on institutional investors seeking to purchase single-family homes. She also said she would work to lower class sizes and give more support for public education.

“Arizona’s kids deserve fully funded schools, smaller class sizes, and modern classrooms that prepare them for the future,” Sterbinsky said, answering The Center Square’s questions by email.

Sterbinsky has also called for term limits on members of Congress and supports banning members from trading stocks.

“I’m passionate about getting big money out of politics and ensuring accountability through term limits so government works for the people, not special interests,” Sterbinsky wrote.

Gosar leads in fundraising with more than $575,000 in contributions, according to the Federal Elections Commission. Sterbinsky has more than $354,000 in contributions.

Most of Sterbinsky’s contributions are small individual donations. Gosar’s contributions include $10,000 from the Anti-Woke Fund, $1,000 from the National Rifle Association and $2,500 from the Halliburton Company PAC.

Polls for the Arizona primary will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. MST on July 21. For early results that evening, see thecentersquare.com/arizona.

For more information, visit the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office website, azsos.gov/elections.