TUCSON — The two major parties eying Arizona 6th Congressional District in 2026 are now at one candidate each.
On Monday, Samantha Severson announced she was withdrawing from the race to be the Democratic candidate for the Congressional seat that represents Greenlee County, and most of Graham and Cochise counties.
“The barriers of running for office at this time do not support the work I have done and plan to do in the future for my community. I still believe the most important things Congressional leadership needs to focus on (are) Medicare for all and getting money out of politics. These are bipartisan issues, and widely supported by the American people,” Severson said in her campaign suspension announcement.
She also urged all voters to “remain diligent in our focus and vigilant over our representatives.”
Severson is the fifth Democrat to drop out. In July, Aiden Swallow announced she was leaving the race to instead run for state Representative in District 19, which also represents Graham, Greenlee and Cochise counties.
Mo Goldman left the race in August to focus on his practice as an immigration attorney, Chris Donat cited fund-raising challenges as the reason he left the race in September, and on Dec. 19 Johnathan Buma said he was leaving the race to focus on grassroots mobilization.
That leaves JoAnna Mendoza as the remaining Democrat seeking to unseat two-time incumbent Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani.
There are two other announced candidates for the seat who will face Mendoza and Ciscomani in the November General Election — Gary Swing with the Green Party and independent Trevor Dickerson.
