FACT CHECK: Setting the Record Straight on JoAnna Mendoza’s Stance on Transgender Student Athletes

THE FACTS:

Formally fact checked as FALSE by American Journal News, “A new ad from Arizona Rep. Juan Ciscomani falsely claims that Democrat JoAnna Mendoza called parents in her district “toxic.”

Mendoza’s exact statement, “As a mom, I know that parents just want to protect their kids—on the playing fields and across Arizona. Rules about keeping sports fair and safe for young people should be made by the people who know the most—parents, coaches, and sports associations—not politicians… I think legislation, like the one that you mentioned, it’s harmful, it’s toxic. It takes away from who we are as Americans; to want to be inclusive, to want to fight for those that can’t fight for themselves, to want to make things better for everyone.”

Ciscomani’s false claim, “appears to stem from remarks Mendoza made during a 2020 state Senate candidate forum. She described proposed legislation banning transgender girls and women from competing on teams matching their gender identity as “toxic,” but she never applied that label to parents or others who supported the proposal.” (American Journal News, July 2026)

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